Methods and apparatuses for adaptively controlling antenna parameters to enhance efficiency and maintain antenna size compactness

ABSTRACT

A modular communications apparatus. The apparatus comprises a dielectric substrate, a radiating structure disposed on a surface of the substrate, and an electronics module disposed within the dielectric substrate. The electronics module comprises a power amplifier and signal receiving components. The apparatus further comprises fixed length transmission lines connecting the radiating structure and the electronics module, a length of each transmission line selected to present a desired impedance at an input and an output terminal of each transmission line without requiring separate impedance matching elements.

This continuation application claims the benefit of the U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/623,307, filed on Jan. 15, 2007, now U.S. Pat.No. ______, which is a continuation-in-part application claiming thebenefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/421,878, filed on Jun. 2,2006, which is a continuation-in-part application claiming the benefitof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/252,248 filed on Oct. 17, 2005,which claims the benefit of the Provisional Patent Application No.60/619,231 filed on Oct. 15, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related generally to antennas for wirelesscommunications devices and specifically to methods and apparatuses foradaptively controlling antenna parameters to improve performance of thecommunications device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that antenna performance is dependent on the size, shape andmaterial composition of the antenna elements, the interaction betweenelements and the relationship between certain antenna physicalparameters (e.g., length for a linear antenna and diameter for a loopantenna) and the wavelength of the signal received or transmitted by theantenna. These physical and electrical characteristics determine severalantenna operational parameters, including input impedance, gain,directivity, signal polarization, resonant frequency, bandwidth andradiation pattern. Since the antenna is an integral element of a signalreceive and transmit path of a communications device, antennaperformance directly affects device performance.

Generally, an operable antenna should have a minimum physical antennadimension on the order of a half wavelength (or a multiple thereof) ofthe operating frequency to limit energy dissipated in resistive lossesand maximize transmitted or received energy. Due to the effect of aground plane image, a quarter wavelength antenna (or odd integermultiples thereof) operative above a ground plane exhibits propertiessimilar to a half wavelength antenna. Communications device productdesigners prefer an efficient antenna that is capable of wide bandwidthand/or multiple frequency band operation, electrically matched (e.g.,impedance matching) to the transmitting and receiving components of thecommunications system, and operable in multiple modes (e.g., selectablesignal polarizations and selectable radiation patterns).

The half-wavelength dipole antenna is commonly used in manyapplications. The radiation pattern is the familiar donut shape withmost of the energy radiated uniformly in the azimuth direction andlittle radiation in the elevation direction. Frequency bands of interestfor certain communications devices are 1710 to 1990 MHz and 2110 to 2200MHz. A half-wavelength dipole antenna is approximately 3.11 inches longat 1900 MHz, 3.45 inches long at 1710 MHz, and 2.68 inches long at 2200MHz. The typical gain is about 2.15 dBi.

The quarter-wavelength monopole antenna disposed above a ground plane isderived from the half-wavelength dipole. The physical antenna length isa quarter-wavelength, but interaction of the electromagnetic energy withthe ground plane (creating an image antenna) causes the antenna toexhibit half-wavelength dipole performance. Thus, the radiation patternfor a monopole antenna above a ground plane is similar to thehalf-wavelength dipole pattern, with a typical gain of approximately 2dBi.

The common free space (i.e., not above ground plane) loop antenna (witha diameter of approximately one-third the wavelength of the transmittedor received frequency) also displays the familiar donut radiationpattern along the radial axis, with a gain of approximately 3.1 dBi. At1900 MHz, this antenna has a diameter of about 2 inches. The typicalloop antenna input impedance is 50 ohms, providing good matchingcharacteristics to the standard 50 ohm transmission line.

The well-known patch antenna provides directional hemispherical coveragewith a gain of approximately 4.7 dBi. Although small compared to aquarter or half wavelength antenna, the patch antenna has a relativelynarrow bandwidth. The small size is only attributable to the velocity ofpropagation associated with the dielectric material used between theplates of the patch antenna.

Given the advantageous performance of quarter and half wavelengthantennas, conventional antennas are typically constructed so that theantenna length is on the order of a quarter wavelength of the radiatingfrequency and the antenna is operated over a ground plane, or theantenna length is a half wavelength without employing a ground plane.These dimensions allow the antenna to be easily excited and operated ator near a resonant frequency (where the resonant frequency (f) isdetermined according to the equation c=λf, where c is the speed of lightand λ is the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation). Half andquarter wavelength antennas limit energy dissipated in resistive lossesand maximize the transmitted energy. But as the operational frequencyincreases/decreases, the operational wavelength decreases/increases andthe antenna element dimensions proportionally decrease/increase. Inparticular, as the resonant frequency of the received or transmittedsignal decreases, the dimensions of the quarter wavelength and halfwavelength antenna proportionally increase. The resulting largerantenna, even at a quarter wavelength, may not be suitable for use withcertain communications devices, especially portable and personalcommunications devices intended to be carried by a user. Since theseantennas tend to be larger than the communications device, they aretypically mounted with a portion of the antenna protruding from thecommunications device and thus are susceptible to breakage.

The burgeoning growth of wireless communications devices and systems hascreated a substantial need for physically smaller, less obtrusive, andmore efficient antennas that are capable of wide bandwidth or multiplefrequency-band operation, and/or operation in multiple modes (i.e.,selectable radiation patterns or selectable signal polarizations). Forexample, operation in multiple frequency bands may be required foroperation of the communications device with multiple communicationssystems or signal protocols within different frequency bands. Forexample, a cellular telephone system transmitter/receiver and a globalpositioning system receiver operate in different frequency bands usingdifferent signal protocols. Operation of the device in multiplecountries also requires multiple frequency band operation sincecommunications frequencies are not commonly assigned in differentcountries.

Smaller packaging of state-of-the-art communications devices, such aspersonal communications handsets, does not provide sufficient space forthe conventional quarter and half wavelength antenna elements.Physically smaller antennas operable in the frequency bands of interest(i.e., exhibiting multiple resonant frequencies and/or wide bandwidth tocover all operating frequencies of the communications device) andproviding the other desired antenna-operating properties (inputimpedance, radiation pattern, signal polarizations, etc.) are especiallysought after.

As is known to those skilled in the art, there is a direct relationshipbetween physical antenna size and antenna gain, at least with respect toa single-element antenna, according to the relationship: gain=(βR)̂2+2βR,where R is the radius of the sphere containing the antenna and β is thepropagation factor. Increased gain thus requires a physically largerantenna, while users continue to demand physically smaller handsets thatin turn require smaller antennas. As a further constraint, to simplifythe system design and strive for minimum cost, equipment designers andsystem operators prefer to utilize antennas capable of efficientmulti-band and/or wide bandwidth operation to allow the communicationsdevice to access various wireless services operating within differentfrequency bands or such services operating over wide bandwidths.Finally, gain is limited by the known relationship between the antennaoperating frequency and the effective antenna electrical length(expressed in wavelengths). That is, the antenna gain is constant forall quarter wavelength antennas of a specific geometry i.e., at thatoperating frequency where the effective antenna length is a quarter of awavelength of the operating frequency.

To overcome the antenna size limitations imposed by handset and personalcommunications devices, antenna designers have turned to the use ofso-called slow wave structures where the structure's physical dimensionsare not equal to the effective electrical dimensions. Recall that theeffective antenna dimensions should be on the order of a half wavelength(or a quarter wavelength above a ground plane) to achieve the beneficialradiating and low loss properties discussed above. Generally, aslow-wave structure is defined as one in which the phase velocity of thetraveling wave is less than the free space velocity of light. The wavevelocity (c) is the product of the wavelength and the frequency andtakes into account the material permittivity and permeability, i.e.,c/((sqrt(ε_(r))sqrt(μ_(r)))=λf. Since the frequency does not changeduring propagation through a slow wave structure, if the wave travelsslower (i.e., the phase velocity is lower) than the speed of light, thewavelength within the structure is lower than the free space wavelength.The slow-wave structure de-couples the conventional relationship betweenphysical length, resonant frequency and wavelength.

Since the phase velocity of a wave propagating in a slow-wave structureis less than the free space velocity of light, the effective electricallength of these structures is greater than the effective electricallength of a structure propagating a wave at the speed of light. Theresulting resonant frequency for the slow-wave structure iscorrespondingly increased. Thus if two structures are to operate at thesame resonant frequency, as a half-wave dipole, for instance, then thestructure propagating a slow wave will be physically smaller than thestructure propagating a wave at the speed of light. Such slow wavestructures can be used as antenna elements or as antenna radiatingstructures.

As designers of portable communications devices (e.g., cellularhandsets) continue to shrink device size while offering more operatingfeatures, the requirements for antenna performance become morestringent. Achieving the next level of performance for suchcommunications devices requires smaller antennas with improvedperformance, especially with respect to radiation efficiency. Currently,designers struggle to obtain adequate multi-band antenna performance forthe multi-band features of the devices. But as is known, efficiency andbandwidth are related and a design trade-off is therefore required.Designers can optimize performance in one (or in some cases more thanone) operating frequency band, but usually must compromises theefficiency or bandwidth to achieve adequate performance in two or morebands simultaneously. However, most portable communications devicesseldom require operation in more than one band at any given time.

In addition, modern portable communications devices must maintain sizecompactness and high efficiency while still attempting to provideadequate operating time with a limited battery resource. Antennacompactness and efficiency are therefore crucial to achievingcommercially viable wireless devices.

The known Chu-Harrington relationship relates the size and bandwidth ofan antenna. Generally, as the size decreases the antenna bandwidth alsodecreases. But to the contrary, as the capabilities of handsetcommunications devices expand to provide for higher data rates and thereception of bandwidth intensive information (e.g., streaming video),the antenna bandwidth must be increased.

Current wireless communications devices operating according to thevarious common communications signal protocols, e.g., GSM, EDGE, CDMA,Bluetooth. 802.11x and, UWB and WCDMA, suffer operating deficiencies asset forth below.

-   A. Poor power amplifier (PA) efficiency due to sub-optimal PA load    impedance (where the antenna impedance is the PA load impedance) as    the PA's output power changes during operation of the communications    device and as the antenna impedance change as the signal frequency    changes.-   B. Poor PA efficiency as set forth in A. above as further affected    by the antenna's relatively narrow bandwidth due its relatively    small size to fit within the available space envelope of the    communications device (i.e., the Chu-Harrington limitation).-   C. Poor PA efficiency due to a sub-optimal PA load impedance as the    hand-effect or proximity effect detunes the antenna resonant    frequency and/or modifies the antenna impedance.-   D. Loss of radiative energy transfer (coupling efficiency) due to a    sub-optimal PA output impedance (i.e., a sub-optimal antenna    impedance) due to the use of a relatively small antenna and it    corresponding relatively narrow bandwidth.-   E. Loss of radiative energy transfer (coupling efficiency) due to    detuning of the antenna resonant frequency caused by the hand-effect    or proximity effect.-   F. Poor PA efficiency due to impedance transformation to a higher    value (i.e., 50 ohms) versus a lower value closer to the natural    radiation resistance of the antenna.-   G. Poor efficiency due to impedance transformation from a lower    impedance (the impedance of the PA at rated power) to a higher    impedance (50 ohms for example) characteristic of filters, antennas    and other components operative with the PA.

The teachings of the present invention are intended to overcome one ormore of these disadvantages and thereby improve operation of thecommunications device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment, the invention comprises a communicationsapparatus further comprising a first antenna, a first serialconfiguration of a first power amplifier and a first matching network, asecond serial configuration of a second power amplifier and a secondmatching network, a switching element for switchably selecting the firstor the second serial configuration for supplying a signal to the firstantenna, the first and the second power amplifiers supplying arespective first signal of a first power and a second signal of a secondpower different than the first power to the first antenna fortransmitting and the first and the second matching networks presentingrespective first and second impedances to the respective first andsecond power amplifiers, the first and the second impedances responsiverespectively to a power-related parameter of the first and the secondsignals.

According to another embodiment, the invention comprises acommunications apparatus further comprising a transmitting antenna, areceiving antenna, a first serial configuration of a first poweramplifier and a first matching network for producing a first signal, thefirst power amplifier operating in a first frequency band, a secondserial configuration of a second power amplifier and a second matchingnetwork for producing a second signal the second power amplifieroperating in a second frequency band, a first switching element forswitchably supplying the first signal or the second signal to thetransmitting antenna, a first receiver, a second receiver and a secondswitching element for switchably directing a signal received at thereceiving antenna to the first receiver or the second receiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more easily understood and the advantagesand uses thereof more readily apparent when the following detaileddescription of the present invention is read in conjunction with thefigures wherein:

FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating power amplifier efficiency as a functionof power amplifier output power

FIGS. 2 and 3 are block diagrams of communications devices according tothe teachings of the present invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of two embodiments of components ofa communications device according to the teachings of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of ahandset communications device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an antenna according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of parasitic capacitances of theantenna of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of an antenna according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 11-18 are block diagram illustrations of apparatuses forcontrolling one or more antennas according to the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 19 and 21 are block diagram illustrations of various antennacontrol techniques according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustration of a communications devicecomprising a controllable high band and low band antenna.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a front end module constructedaccording to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a schematic illustration of an antenna having feed points atspaced apart terminal ends according to the teachings of the presentinvention.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustration of a transmit signal pathaccording to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram of an antenna system and associatedcomponents for receiving and transmitting a communications signal.

FIGS. 27-30 are block diagrams of various communications apparatuses forsending and receiving radio frequency signals according to differentembodiments of the present inventions.

FIG. 31 illustrates a communications apparatus in modular form forsending and receiving radio frequency signals.

FIGS. 32-35 are block diagrams of communications apparatuses for sendingand receiving radio frequency signals according to different embodimentsof the present invention.

In accordance with common practice, the various described devicefeatures are not drawn to scale, but are drawn to emphasize specificfeatures relevant to the invention Like reference characters denote likeelements throughout the figures and text.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Before describing in detail the exemplary methods and apparatusesrelated to controlling antenna structures and operating parameters, itshould be observed that the present invention resides primarily in anovel and non-obvious combination of elements and process steps. So asnot to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparentto those skilled in the art, certain conventional elements and stepshave been presented with lesser detail, while the drawings and thespecification describe in greater detail other elements and stepspertinent to understanding the invention.

The following embodiments are not intended to define limits as to thestructure or method of the invention, but only to provide exemplaryconstructions. The embodiments are permissive rather than mandatory andillustrative rather than exhaustive.

Antenna tuning control techniques are known in the art to providemulti-band antenna performance for a multi-band communications device.The present invention teaches antenna control methods and apparatusesthat overcome sub-optimal antenna impedance (introduced by the antennatuning process) and frequency detuning effects that impair performanceof the communications device.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an antenna istuned (by controlling its effective electrical length) to a desiredresonant frequency to obviate resonance detuning caused by the operatingenvironment of the antenna. Retuning the antenna improves the antenna'sperformance and thus improves performance of the communications device.

It is known that the transmitting power amplifier (PA) of acommunications device is designed to provide a controllable output powerto its load (i.e., the antenna) and to present a desired outputimpedance (typically 50 ohms including any impedance transformationelements). The output power range for which the power amplifier isdesigned depends on the operating environment and the signal protocolsemployed by the device. The output power is controlled by devicecomponents to permit effective communications with a receiving device.For example, an output power of a cellular handset PA is controlled tocommunicate effectively with a cellular base station as the handsetmoves about the base station coverage area.

In the prior art, the PA efficiency changes as the power supplied by thePA to a fixed load impedance (i.e., a fixed antenna impedance) changes.Further, the PA output power, and thus the PA efficiency, variesresponsive to changes in the load impedance (the antenna impedance). Itis known that although the antenna is designed to present a nominal 50ohm impedance, in fact the impedance varies with signal frequency. Forexample, the antenna impedance changes when the signal frequency shiftsfrom the antenna resonant frequency that is near the center of theantenna's operating frequency band to a signal frequency near a bandedge. Since the antenna impedance changes with signal frequency, it isimpossible to substantially exactly match the PA output impedance to theantenna impedance over the operating frequency band. Thus according tothe prior art, the best that can be expected is to establish a PA outputimpedance at the conventional 50 ohms, design the antenna for a 50 ohmimpedance at the resonant frequency and recognize that inefficienciesare introduced into the system when the signal frequency differs fromthe resonant frequency. In summary, in the prior art the PA efficiencymay decline as the PA output power changes and as the signal frequencychanges. Reduced output power efficiency requires more battery power andthus reduces battery life.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the antennaimpedance (the PA load impedance) is controlled to present an impedanceto the PA that improves a power added efficiency (PAE) of the poweramplifier at a commanded PA radio frequency (RF) output power. That is,the antenna impedance is controlled as a function of the PA outputpower. Controlling the load impedance to present a desired impedancevalue from a range of impedance values permits the PA output voltage andcurrent (which determine the PA output power) to range over values thatcan be supplied by the PA power supply, improving the efficiency at anycommanded power level. Since many communications devices operate onbattery power, improving the efficiency extends “talk time” (for aspecific battery size) between battery recharges. Also, controlling theantenna (load) impedance overcomes the effects of naturally occurringantenna impedance variations as the signal frequency changes.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention controls both theantenna resonant frequency and impedance to obtain the combinedadvantages of both techniques.

Note that this impedance control technique of the present inventiondiffers from the prior art impedance matching techniques of a complexconjugate match (i.e., an output impedance of a first component is acomplex conjugate of an input impedance of a second component to whichit is connected). These prior art techniques are intended to maximizepower transfer from the first component to the second component at onespecific frequency, since the impedance value is frequency dependent.

Although there are many measures of PA efficiency for consideration inthe context of the present invention and all are considered within thescope of the present invention, the preferred measure appears to bepower added efficiency (PAE), defined as the RF output power less the RFpower input to the PA, the resulting quantity divided by the sum of theDC power supplied to the PA (i.e., a product of the DC current and theDC voltage) and the RF input power. Additional measures of PA efficiency(also expressed as PA gain) can be found at page 63 of the referenceentitled “Microwave Circuit Design Using Linear Techniques and NonlinearTechniques,” by Vendelin, Pavio and Rohde.

Generally according to the prior art, the PA output impedance is a fewohms (3Ω for a common PA topology), and must be transformed (by animpedance matching circuit interposed between the PA and the amplifier)to the input impedance of the antenna, nominally 50Ω. Given thisrequirement for a relatively large impedance transformation, thereactive network required to make the transformation has a relativelynarrow bandwidth. Since this specific impedance transformation is notrequired according to the present invention, the bandwidth-narrowingeffects of the narrow bandwidth transformation components are reduced.

FIG. 1 illustrates a graph of power amplifier PAE as a function of poweramplifier output power (in dBm) for a fixed load impedance. At maximumpower output, the power amplifier PAE is about 50% (the theoreticalmaximum efficiency for a power amplifier operating in a class A mode).As the power output is reduced, the PAE drops. A curve 96 depicts thisPAE reduction when the PA has a fixed DC bias and supplies a signal to afixed-impedance, such as a fixed 50 ohm antenna load impedance. A lowPAE is not desired as the PA does not utilize the available power supplyvoltage to drive the load.

A curve 98 depicts the improved PAE attainable for a PA augmented with aDC-DC converter, i.e., to control the DC bias voltage supplied to the PAas the power output decreases. A DC-to-DC converter responsive to afixed DC supply voltage generates a controllable DC voltage for biasingthe PA responsive to the PA power output. This technique increases thePAE as indicated by the curve 98 depicting a higher PAE than the curve96. But this approach requires additional components and adds complexityto the PA and the communications device with which it operates.

It is noted that most cellular phones and other wireless communicationsdevices commonly operate at moderate power levels. Statistically, GSMhandsets operate at an average output power of about 18 dBm, where thePAE is typically less than 25% according to prior art impedance matchingtechniques as illustrated in FIG. 1.

To solve the problem of PA inefficiencies associated with power outputlevel variation and the resulting inefficiencies (i.e., reduced“talk-time”) in operation of the communications device, in oneembodiment the present invention provides dynamic and adaptive controlof the PA load impedance (i.e., the antenna impedance) responsive to thepower output level of the PA.

In one embodiment the antenna impedance is adjusted, according totechniques described below, to improves the PA load impedance (theantenna impedance) responsive to the PA output power level as the PAEfalls during operation of the communications device. Control of the PAaccording to the present invention is intended to permit the PA to useall available power supply voltage/current to amplify the input signal(less any voltage that would cause the PA to saturate and clip the inputsignal) and extend battery life and talk-time for those communicationsdevices operating on battery power. Other parameters related to theoutput power of the PA (the power of the output signal from the PA) canbe used to control the antenna impedance, including the peak DC currentin the PA output signal.

As depicted by a curve 100 in FIG. 1, in one embodiment the presentinvention adjusts the antenna impedance (antenna terminal impedance) indiscrete steps between a first PAE level of 40% and a second PAE ofabout 50%, responsive to the commanded output power. As the PAE falls toabout 40%, the antenna impedance (the load impedance to the PA) isadjusted to raise the PA PAE back to about 50%. The present inventiontherefore provides a better PAE than offered by the prior arttechniques. Control of the PA load impedance according to the teachingsof the present invention can be accomplished in discrete impedance valuesteps, as indicated in FIG. 1, or substantially continuously over arange of allowable and attainable impedance values.

The PAE values depicted in FIG. 1 are merely exemplary, as it is knownthat the actual PAE and the theoretical maximum possible PAE aredetermined by many factors, including the communications protocol andthe power amplifier design. Also, the PA output power may be limited bythe available current and voltage supplied by the power supply. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the PAE is improved at power levels from about 0to about 30 dBm, although the technique can be applied generally to PA'soperating at any power level. Also, the PA PAE can be improvedcontinuously, rather than discretely as depicted, by continuouslymodifying the antenna impedance in response to PA output power levelchanges. In one embodiment of the invention, the impedance control isaccomplished by modifying antenna structural features as describedelsewhere herein.

Certain communications devices comprise an impedance conversion elementbetween the PA and the antenna. Thus according to another embodiment ofthe present invention, in lieu of controlling the antenna impedance tocontrol the PA efficiency, an impedance presented to the PA by theimpedance conversion element is controlled to control the PA efficiency.

In another embodiment of the present invention a processor or controllercontrols one or more antenna elements or antenna components forfrequency tuning the antenna and/or for modifying the antenna'simpedance. FIG. 2 illustrates a communications device 103 comprising anantenna 105 for receiving and transmitting information signals over aradio frequency link 106. In one embodiment, the communications device103 comprises a cellular telephone handset. Signals received by theantenna 105 are processed by receiving circuits 107 to extractinformation contained therein. Information signals for transmitting bythe antenna 105 are produced in the transmitting circuits 109 andsupplied to the antenna 105, via a power amplifier 111, for transmittingover the radio frequency link 106. A controller 110 controls thereceiving and transmitting circuits 107/109.

An antenna processor/controller 113 (e.g., an antenna controller) isresponsive to a signal supplied by the controller 110 (or alternativelyis responsive to the transmitting circuits 109 or the power amplifier111) that indicates operational parameters of the communications device103. Responsive to this signal, the processor/controller 113 develops acontrol signal for controlling frequency tuning and/or impedancecontrolling elements 117. For example, the processor/controller 113 isresponsive to the signal indicating the PA output power or the operatingfrequency of the communications device 103. Responsive thereto, theprocessor/controller 113 effects a change to the antenna to change theantenna impedance and/or the antenna resonant frequency. For example,the processor/controller 113 selects a location of a feed point and/or aground point on the antenna structure to modify the antenna's impedanceand/or changes the antenna's effective electrical length by controllingradiating segments to effectively lengthen or shorten the antenna'sradiating structure. Responsive to the change in antenna impedanceand/or resonant frequency, the PAE improves and/or operation of thecommunications device improves.

In an embodiment where the frequency tuning and/or impedance controllingelements 117 comprise a plurality of controlled impedance elements (eachfurther comprising one or more inductive and capacitive elements), theprocessor/controller 113 switches in or connects one or more of theimpedance elements to the antenna 105 to change the antenna impedance aspresented to the PA, improving the PA PAE at the commanded PA RF poweroutput.

For example, it may be determined according to the teachings of thepresent invention that insertion of a capacitor of a first value intothe antenna circuit improves the PA PAE for operation in the PCSfrequency band and insertion of a capacitor of a second value improvesthe PAE for operation in the DCS frequency band. The appropriatecapacitor is inserted into the antenna circuit responsive to a signalindicating the operational band of the communications device 103 that issupplied to the antenna processor/controller 113.

In yet another embodiment, the processor/controller 113 modifies (e.g.,by switching antenna elements and related circuits in and/or out of theantenna circuit, moving an antenna ground point relative to its feedpoint or moving the feed point relative to the ground point) one or moreantenna physical characteristics (e.g., effective electrical length,feed point location, ground point location) to modify the antennaresonant frequency (and/or the antenna terminal impedance) and therebyimprove performance of the communications device 103 for the currentoperating frequency band. Thus as can be seen from the examples setforth herein there are multiple techniques and structural elements thatcan be employed to controllably modify the antenna impedance and/or theantenna resonant frequency to improve operation of the communicationsdevice 103.

One technique for controlling the antenna resonant frequency inserts acapacitor in series with the antenna radiating structure, resulting inan appreciable resonant frequency change while only slightly changingthe antenna impedance. A capacitor placed in parallel with the antennaradiating structure can also change the resonant frequency, but maycause a greater change in the antenna impedance.

In another embodiment the antenna resonant frequency is modified undercontrol of the processor/controller 113 by inserting (switching in) ordeleting (switching out) conductive elements of different lengths fromthe antenna radiating structure. The control signal thus modifies theantenna effective electrical length. For example, meanderline elementshaving different effective electrical lengths can be switched in or outof the antenna 105 to alter the resonant frequency. Such components foreffecting this resonant frequency tuning are described further below.

The frequency tuning and/or impedance controlling elements 117 of FIG. 2can comprise elements associated with the antenna 105 or, as illustratedin FIG. 3, can comprise impedance controlling elements 119 separate fromthe antenna 105 and interposed between the PA 111 and the antenna 105.References herein to the element 117 includes the element 119.

Various operating parameters of the communications device 103 and itscomponents can be determined and responsive thereto a control signalsupplied to the frequency tuning and/or impedance controlling elements117. Such parameters include, but are not limited to, the PA RF outputpower, the operating frequency of the communications device and the VSWRon the PA/antenna signal path.

In a cellular system application of the present invention, the poweramplifier in the cellular handset is an element of a closed loop controlsystem with a base station transceiver. When turned on, the handset RFpower is set to a default value (probably near a maximum output power)and an operating frequency is selected. When the user places a call, asignal is transmitted on a control channel to the base stationrequesting a frequency or time slot assignment. The base stationresponds with an assigned frequency and transmit power for the handset.According to the teachings of the present invention, the antennaimpedance is adjusted to a desired value responsive to the commandedtransmit power and the antenna is tuned to the proper resonantfrequency.

During the cellular call, the base station transceiver may command thehandset to reduce or increase its output power and/or change totransmitting or receiving on a difference frequency, according to anoperating scenario of the communications system and the handset. The newcommanded power output is employed to again adjust the antenna impedanceand/or the antenna resonant frequency. Thus the base station powercommand controls the PA to change the power level of the transmittedsignal and also controls the antenna impedance (the PA load impedance)to present an impedance that improves the PAE.

In one embodiment the impedance is controlled to increase the PA PAE tothe maximum PAE of 50%. Unlike the prior art, the PAE is increasedwithout changing the PA DC bias voltage/current, although the techniquesdescribed do not prevent the use of bias control or multiple stageswitched power amplifiers stages as currently known in the art.

In another embodiment, the VSWR (or the forward power) can be measuredand a control signal derived therefrom for controlling the impedance ofthe antenna to improve the PAE.

When the processor/controller 113 adjusts the antenna resonant frequencyas described above, it may then be possible to reduce the PA outputpower as the signal strength or the signal-to-noise ratio at thereceiving device may increase responsive to the resonant frequencychange, allowing the power reduction without impairing signal quality atthe receiving end. The antenna resonant frequency adjustment may alsochange the antenna terminal impedance, in turn affecting the poweramplifier PAE. To improve the PAE, the resonant frequency adjustment caninitiate an antenna terminal impedance adjustment (either directly bymodifying antenna structural features or through an intermediateimpedance conversion element) to improve the PAE.

According to another embodiment, the antenna parameters are manuallyadjustable by the user by operation of a discretely adjustable or acontinuously adjustable switching element or control component thatcontrols the frequency tuning and impedance controlling elements 117 tochange the antenna's resonant length or the antenna impedance to improvethe PA PAE and overall efficiency of the communications device. Such anembodiment may also include the processor/controller 113 forautomatically adjusting the frequency tuning and impedance controllingelements 117.

FIG. 4 illustrates an antenna 120 comprising a conductive element 124disposed over a ground plane 128. Switching elements 130, 132, 134 and136 switchably connect feed conductors 140, 142, 144 and 146 to arespective location on the conductive element 124, such that a signalsource 150 is connected to the conductive element 124 through the closedswitching element 130, 132, 134 or 136. Location of the signal feedrelative to the antenna structure affects the antenna impedance. Theswitching elements 130, 132, 134 and 136 are configured into an openedor a closed state in response to a control signal supplied by a powerlevel sensor 160. Such power level sensors are conventionally associatedwith commercially available power amplifiers.

Likewise, the antenna's connection to ground may be repositioned byoperation of one or more of a plurality of switching elements that eachconnect the antenna to ground through a different conductive element.FIG. 5 illustrates an antenna 180 comprising switching elements 190,192, 194 and 196 for switchably connecting conductive elements 200, 202,204 and 206 to ground. Appropriate ones of the switching elements 200,202, 204 and 206 are closed or opened at specific power levelsresponsive to control signals supplied by the power level sensor 160 toaffect the antenna impedance and thus the PAE of the PA operative withthe antenna 180.

Although the teachings of the present invention are described inconjunction with a PIFA antenna (planar-inverted F antenna) of FIGS. 4and 5, the teachings are applicable to other types of antennas,including monopole and dipole antennas, patch antennas, helical antennasand dielectric resonant antennas, as well as combined antennas, such asspiral/patch, meanderline loaded PIFA, ILA and others.

The switching elements identified in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be implemented bydiscrete switches (e.g., PIN diodes, control field effect transistors,micro-electro-mechanical systems, or other switching technologies knownin the art) to move the feed tap (feed terminal) point or the ground tap(ground terminal) point in the antenna structure, changing the impedanceappearing between the feed and ground terminals, i.e., the impedanceseen by the power amplifier driving the antenna. The switching elementscan comprise organic laminate carriers attached to the antenna to form amodule comprising the antenna and a substrate on which the antenna andits associated components are mounted. Repositioning of the feed pointby appropriate selection of one or more of the switching elements mayvary the impedance from about five ohms to several hundred ohms forimpedance loading the PA, resulting in more efficient PA operation asdescribed herein.

Certain communications devices provide a variety of communicationsservices and are therefore required to operate in the multiple frequencybands (sub-bands) as employed by those services. Most prior artcommunications devices comprises a single antenna exhibitingmulti-resonant behavior to cover each of the sub-bands.

According to the Chu-Harrington relationship, an antenna's bandwidthdecreases as a direct function of decreasing antenna size. Thisrelationship considers physical antenna distances as proportional to anoperating wavelength. The Chu-Harrington limit (a widest bandwidthavailable from an antenna of a specific size) applies to single bandantennas. According to this relationship, a relatively large single-bandconventional antenna is required to adequately cover the total operatingbandwidth of communications devices that operate in multiple frequencybands. But hand-held communications devices require relatively smallantennas, which exhibit a narrower bandwidth according to therelationship. It is also noted that few if any communications devicesare required to operate simultaneously in more than one sub-band.

When a single antenna presents multiple operating bands, it may beappropriate to evaluate the Chu-Harrington limit on an individual bandbasis. Since the present invention improves the antenna performance on aper band basis, the Chu-Harrington limit can be reassessed on a per bandbasis and the results combined to yield results for the total bandwidthcovered by the antenna.

According to the teachings of the present invention, the antennaresonant frequency is tuned to the desired operating sub-band using anyof the various techniques described herein. Since each of the sub-bandsis narrower than the total bandwidth, the tunable antenna of the presentinvention can be smaller than the single large space-hungry antenna thatthe Chu-Harrington relationship requires.

FIG. 6 illustrates a handset or other communications device 240 havingan antenna disposed within the device 240 in a region generallyidentified by a reference character 242. As is known in the art, whenthe handset 240 is held by the user for receiving or transmitting asignal, the user's hand is placed proximate the region 242. The distancebetween the user's hand and the antenna is determined by the user's handsize and orientation of the hand relative to the antenna.

The so-called hand-effect or proximity loading refers to the affect ofthe user's hand on antenna performance. When the user's hand (and head)are proximate the handset and its internal antenna, the collectivedielectric constant of the materials comprising the hand and the headchanges the antenna operating characteristics from those experienced ina free space environment, i.e. wherein air surrounds the antenna andthus antenna performance is determined by the dielectric constant ofair. This effect detunes the antenna resonant frequency, typicallylowering the resonant frequency. The antenna may also be detuned by theconfiguration of certain handset mechanical components, such as a folderposition for a folder-type handset and a slider position for aslider-type handset. The teachings of the present invention can alsoobviate the detuning effects of these physical configurations.

A handset designed for operation in the CDMA band of 824-894 MHzincludes an antenna that exhibits a resonant frequency peak near theband center and an antenna bandwidth that encompasses most, if not all,of the CDMA frequency band to achieve acceptable handset performance.But the hand-effect detunes the antenna such that the resonant frequencyis moved to a frequency below the band center or perhaps even out of theband. The result is impaired antenna and handset performance since theantenna bandwidth is no longer coincident with the CDMA frequency bandof 824-894 MHz. It is known that the hand-effect can detune the antennaby up to 40-50 MHz for handsets operating in the CDMA band.

One known technique for overcoming the hand-effect uses a wide bandwidthantenna, including the frequencies of interest, i.e. 824-894 MHz, andextending to frequencies both above and below the band of interest. Whenthe hand-effect detunes the antenna, the operating frequencies remainwithin the antenna bandwidth. However, according to the variousprinciples that govern an antenna's physical attributes and performance(e.g., the Chu-Harrington effect), there is a direct relationshipbetween antenna bandwidth and size, i.e., as the antenna bandwidthincreases, the antenna size increases. But as handset size continues toshrink, the use of larger antennas to provide wide bandwidth operationis not feasible and is deemed unacceptable by handset designers andusers.

Another known technique for overcoming the hand-effect increases thedistance 249 (see FIG. 7) between the antenna 250 (mounted on a printedcircuit board 252) and the handset case 254. Increasing this distance byas little as 5 mm appreciably reduces the hand-effect. However, handsetsize must be increased to accommodate the increased distance.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a frequency-tunableactive internal communications device (handset) antenna overcomescertain of the disadvantages associated with the prior art antennasdescribed above, especially with respect to the hand-effect andproximity antenna loading of the antenna by the body or other objects.Tuning the antenna reduces these effects (in both the transmit andreceive modes) and improves the radiated efficiency of the system, i.e.,the antenna, power amplifier and related components of thecommunications device. The tuning can be accomplished responsive to asignal that indicates that the antenna has been detuned, for example, bythe hand effect. For example a control signal that senses power outputof the communications device, the transmitting frequency or a signalderived from a near-field probe can be used for tuning the antenna. Thetuning can also be effected by a manually controlled switch operated bythe user. In certain applications, however, the output power (or VSWR)may be a difficult parameter to use for tuning as signal absorption bythe body can mask the signal detuning. That is, the output power of VSWRmay actually improve while the antenna frequency is detuned from thedesired operating frequency or frequency band.

FIG. 8 illustrates an antenna 300 (in this example the antenna 300comprises a spiral antenna, but the teachings of the present inventionare not limited to spiral antennas) mounted proximate or above a groundplane 302 disposed within a handset communications device. The antenna300 further comprises an inner spiral segment 300A and an outer spiralsegment 300B. A ground terminal 304 of the antenna 300 is connected tothe ground plane 302. The handset comprises signal processingcomponents, not shown, operative to process a signal received by theantenna 300 when the handset is operating in the receive mode, and forsupplying a signal to the antenna 300 when the handset is operating inthe transmit mode. A feed terminal 306 is connected between suchadditional components and the antenna 300.

An equivalent circuit 310 of the antenna 300 is illustrated in FIG. 9,including a signal source 312 representing the signal to be transmittedby the antenna 300 when the handset is operating in the transmit mode.The equivalent circuit 310 further includes parasitic capacitances 316,318 and 320 formed from coupling between the inner spiral segment 300Aand the ground plane 302, the outer spiral segment 300B and the groundplane 302, and the inner spiral segment 300A with the outer spiralsegment 300B, respectively.

According to the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention,one or more of these parasitic capacitances is modified to change theresonant frequency of the antenna 300 and/or the antenna impedance(relative to the teachings of the present invention to modify theantenna impedance to improve the PA PAE). Accordingly, as shown in FIG.8, the antenna 300 further comprises a varactor diode 350 (or anelectrically controllable capacitor, not illustrated, in anotherembodiment) responsive to a variable voltage source 352 for altering thecapacitance of the varactor diode 350 (or the capacitance of theelectrically controllable capacitor) and thus the capacitance betweenthe antenna 300 and the ground plane 302. The antenna resonant frequencyis accordingly changed by the capacitance change, which is in turncontrolled by the voltage supplied by the voltage source 352. In oneembodiment a manually operated controller is provided to permit thehandset user to manually adjust the voltage applied to the varactordiode (or the control voltage for the electrically controllablecapacitor) to tune the antenna 300 for optimum performance. In anotherembodiment, the antenna processor/controller 113 (see FIG. 2) controlsthe variable voltage source 352 responsive, for example, to the band,sub-band or frequency at n which the communications device is operating.

Changing the capacitance in any region of the antenna 300 will changethe antenna's resonant frequency. Changing the capacitance where thecurrent is maximum or near maximum may cause a change in the resonantfrequency. Also, relatively small capacitance values can be used toeffect the change in high impedance regions of the antenna, because thereactance of a small capacitor is more significant in relation to theimpedance of the antenna at the high impedance regions. One area wherean impedance change can be made includes a region proximate the groundand/or the feed terminals 304/306, and thus the varactor diode 350 ispreferably disposed proximate the ground/feed terminals 304/306. Inaddition to the use of a varactor, the capacitance can be changed byother techniques that are considered within the scope of the presentinvention.

According to another embodiment, an inductance of the antenna 300 ismodified to change the antenna's resonant frequency (including thefundamental resonant frequency and other resonant modes). Such aninductance can be in series or in parallel (to ground) with the antenna300. Thus either an inductive or a capacitive reactive component (orboth) of the antenna reactance can be modified to change the resonantfrequency.

According to yet another embodiment, the resonant frequency iscontrolled by application of a discrete fixed DC voltage supplied by avoltage source 362 to the varactor diode 350 (or to an electricallycontrollable capacitor) via a switching element 364. See FIG. 10. Theswitch 364 can be manually operated by the user or controlledautomatically responsive to a performance parameter or an operatingmetric that indicates the antenna has been detuned from its resonantfrequency.

Thus this embodiment provides a discrete resonant frequency shift inresponse to the value of the DC voltage when the switching element isplaced in a closed or shorted condition. The invention furthercontemplates multiple voltage sources and corresponding multipleswitches to provide multiple capacitance values and thus multipleresonant frequencies from a single antenna. MEMS switched or integratedcapacitors (for example, an electrically controllable capacitor) mayalso be used in this application, as well as any other capacitive tuningmethodology.

In another embodiment, an RF (radio frequency) probe 400 of FIG. 11senses the radiated power in the near field region of a tunable antenna404 responsive to the power amplifier 111. An antenna tuning system,such as those described herein (including the antennaprocessor/controller 113 of FIG. 2), tunes the antenna resonantfrequency to maximize the probe response. The tuning may be in discretepredetermined steps or responsive to maximizing the sensed near fieldpower. Generally, this technique does not compensate for absorptionlosses in material surrounding the antenna, but corrects for losslessdielectric effects on the antenna resonant frequency.

Certain communications devices or handsets are operable according tomultiple system protocols (e.g., CDMA, TDMA, EDGE, GSM for a cellularsystem or Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11x), each protocol assigned to adifferent frequency band (also referred to as a sub-band). In the priorart, such a handset includes multiple antennas, with each antennadesignated for operation in one of the frequency bands or an antennacapable of multiple resonance behavior. The use of multiple antennasobviously increases handset size and a single antenna with multipleresonance behavior is not optimized for any specific frequency,especially if the sub-bands are spaced apart, thereby degradingperformance.

The present invention tunes a single antenna responsive to the operatingsub-band (by activation of the appropriate switch element to change theantenna resonant frequency) when it is desired to operate the handset ina different frequency band, e.g., in response to a different cellularprotocol. For handsets that automatically switch to a differentavailable protocol, a handset controller automatically controls theantenna resonant frequency by selecting the appropriate DC voltage forthe varactor diode 350 (or another device that presents a controllablecapacitance) such that the antenna resonant frequency is within theselected operating band.

Such a multiband antenna according to the present invention is depictedby a multiband tunable antenna 450 of FIG. 12. Operational parametersthe multiband antenna 450 are controlled in response to a signal,supplied from the controller 110, indicating a current operatingsub-band of the communications device.

When the communications device switches between operation in a firstfrequency band to operation in a second frequency band, the impedancepresented by the antenna 450 changes and may not be an optimal impedancefor the PA 111, i.e., provide a load impedance that permits the PA tooperate at a desired PAE. An optimal impedance is less likely if themultiple bands are significantly spaced apart in frequency. Such ascenario may arise in a handset where there is a marked decrease inpower amplifier PAE when switching from operation on the GSM band(880-960 MHz) to operation on the CDMA band (824-894 MHz). For example,the VSWR can increase and the PAE can decline when operation switches tothe second frequency band. Thus according to one embodiment of thepresent invention, both the resonant frequency and the antenna impedancecan be controlled to improve operation of the communications device,including the PAE of the PA. Of particular value is the use of a smallerantenna having adequate performance over a band or subband(s), andcontrol of the resonant frequency and/or the antenna terminal impedancebetween the receive and transmit modes of operation when operating in adifferent band or subband(s).

Responsive to a control signal indicating a current operating band orsub-band the antenna is tuned to a different resonant frequency and/orthe antenna impedance is modified to present a PA load impedance thatraises the PA PAE. The frequency tuning and/or impedance adjustment canbe accomplished by a stub tuner or combinations of lumped anddistributed elements, modifying the antenna impedance to improve the PAPAE for a requested PA output power level or retuning the antenna backto its desired resonant frequency.

Alternatively, the antenna resonant frequency and/or impedance can bechanged by modifying one or more of the antenna's effective electricallength, inductance or capacitance, including modification of thesefeatures by using one or more lumped capacitance or inductance elements,or using the various techniques described herein. In one application,antenna band tuning as implemented by the elements of FIG. 12 increasedthe PA PAE by about 9%; PAE increases up to about 20% have also beenobserved.

Providing an antenna frequency tuning capability permits reduction ofthe antenna volumetric size (the reduction estimated to be about ½) dueto the reduced bandwidth requirement, as the antenna is required toresonate in only one band or sub-band at any time. Simulations indicatethat in certain applications antenna resonant frequency tuning alone mayproduce the desired PAE gain, without the need to control the antennaimpedance, i.e., the PA load impedance, while maintaining sufficientbandwidth to cover each band or sub-band, thereby taking advantage ofthe potential for reduced antenna volume.

FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention whereinan impedance of one or both of a filter 460 and an antenna 465 arecontrollable to improve the PAE of the power amplifier 111 as the poweramplifier output power changes as described above. A switch assembly 462selects elements of the filter 460 to effect a filter input impedancechange. Similarly, a switch assembly 464 selects elements of the antenna465 to effect an antenna impedance change.

Generally, the filter is controlled in accordance with its filteringfunctions, e.g., filtering out-of-band harmonic frequencies within afrequency band with minimal insertion loss. Controlling the filter alsoassists in presenting a desired PA load impedance (in conjunction withthe antenna impedance) to achieve the desired PA PAE.

Any of several different signals produced by the communications devicecan be used to control the switch assemblies 462 and 464. In theillustrated embodiment a control signal derived from a power sensor 468is supplied to an encoder/multiplexer 470 for producing a control signalfor each switch assembly 462 and 464. Responsive to the control signal,the switches 462 and 464 (illustrated as mechanical switches butimplementable as electronic, mechanical or electromechanical switches)are configured to present the desired impedance for their respectivecontrolled devices. Techniques and components for controlling theantenna impedance as described elsewhere herein can be applied to theFIG. 13 embodiment to control the filter input and/or output impedancesand the antenna impedance.

FIG. 14 illustrates certain elements of a dual-band communicationsdevice 480 capable of operating in both the GSM band of 850/960 MHz andin the GSM band of 1800/1900 MHz. When operating in the former GSM band,the signal to be transmitted is supplied to an antenna 484 though apower amplifier 486 and a properly configured transmit/receive controlswitch 487. When operating in the latter GSM band, the signal to betransmitted is supplied to the antenna 484 through a power amplifier 488and a different configuration of the transmit/receive control switch487. The antenna 484 comprises a radiating structure 490 andcontrollable antenna elements 491 that permit adjustment of theantenna's resonant frequency and/or its impedance.

A control signal supplied by the controller 110 controls the poweramplifiers 486/488 and the controllable antenna elements 485 responsiveto the desired operating band or sub-band and the PA output power. Thecontrol signal controls the elements 485 to present an antenna impedancethat provides a desired PAE for the PA's 486/488. Additionally, thecontrol signal controls the elements 491 to present an antenna resonantfrequency within the operating frequency band or sub-band.

Although described in conjunction with a communications device operatingin one of the GSM bands, the teachings of the present invention asdescribed in conjunction with the communications device 480 alsoapplicable to other signal transmission protocols, i.e., EGSM, CDMA,DCS, PCS, EDGE etc. and other non-cellular communications systems andprotocols.

Providing the capability to tune the antenna in a communications devicealso permits use of smaller antenna structures while the antennastructures (and their associated components, such as the PA) operate ata higher PAE than prior art antennas. Although not apparent, this is adirect result of the Chu-Harrington relationship between bandwidth andantenna volume. Generally, a smaller antenna exhibits a narrowerbandwidth, but if the antenna resonant frequency is controllable to acurrent operating band of the communications device, then a wide bandantenna capable of acceptable operation in all frequency bands in whichthe communications device operates is not required. A smaller (andtherefore likely more efficient) antenna can be employed in thecommunications device if the antenna's operating band or sub-band isselectable responsive to the operating band or sub-band. For example, ina half duplex communications system (different transmit and receivefrequencies), a position of the transmit/receive control switch commandsthe antenna to change its resonant frequency to the operative sub-banddepending on whether the wireless device is in the transmit or receivestate. This technique allows most antennas to be reduced in volume byabout a factor of ½ and commensurately increases the antenna's PAE.

According to another embodiment, for half-duplex communication protocolsa communications device processor selects either the receive or thetransmit portion of the band (sub-band) depending on the handsetoperational mode and supplies a control signal to the antenna to alterone or more antenna parameters, by techniques described herein, tomodify the antenna resonant frequency and/or the antenna impedance.Since the sub-bands have a narrower bandwidth than the full band overwhich the communications device operates, antenna size can be reducedaccording to this embodiment.

What is not obvious to those trained in the art is that the embodimentsof the present invention permit use of a smaller antenna within thecommunications device, while improving antenna performance (e.g., PAE)over the operating bandwidth. The ability to alter or select antennaperformance parameters (e.g., resonant frequency) in response to anoperating frequency of the communications device obviates therequirement for an antenna that is capable of operating in all possiblebands, and further permits use of a smaller adaptive antenna withoutsacrificing antenna performance. In fact, antenna performance may beimproved. At a minimum, constructing a smaller antenna and using theteachings of the present invention to improve its performance, overcomesthe known performance limitations of the smaller antenna. Thus smallerhandsets can be designed for use with smaller antennas, withoutsacrificing antenna and handset performance. To improve antennaperformance, the processor can improve the feed point, ground point,impedance, antenna configuration or antenna effective length for a givenoperating condition (e.g., signal polarization or signal protocol) oroperating frequency.

Advantages obtained according to the present invention are: 1) smallerantenna size; and 2) improved antenna PAE over the operating bandwidthdue to adaptive control of the antenna configuration based on thecurrent operating bandwidth.

Antenna tuning can also overcome the detuning due to hand or otherproximity effects. It is well known that antenna frequency can shiftwhen the user brings body parts or other objects in proximity to thehandset or wireless communications device. Two physical phenomena occurin that case, both resulting in poorer handset signal reception andtransmission. The first effect is detuning of the antenna resonancecaused by proximal capacitive loading of the antenna. The second isabsorption of signals caused by resistive loss mechanisms (includingcomplex-valued dielectric constants) associated with dielectricproperties of the proximate biological or other substances (wood, paper,water, etc.).

Operating wireless handheld devices in proximity to the human body oftenresults in over 7 dB of loss in the far field radiated signal. At least3 dB of loss is attributable to absorption, as verified by publishedsimulation studies. A portion of the remaining loss may be therefore beattributable to antenna detuning effects (4 db or more).

The present invention actively tunes the antenna, but may not correctfor the aforementioned loss due to absorption of the radiated fieldcomponents. Nevertheless, this approach improves the handset receive ortransmit performance by several decibels. Current reduction of radiatedsignal performance due to hand/head loading is typically from −3 dBi toover −10 dBi. Estimates are that 4 dB or more added gain may result fromthe near field controlled tuning technique of the present invention.

This embodiment can be implemented by altering the inductive orcapacitive tuning elements in the antenna, such as by controllingfrequency tuning and impedance controlling elements 502 of an antenna504 responsive to a proximity sensor 506, as illustrated in FIG. 15. Theembodiment can also be implemented by changing the effective electricallength of the antenna as described above.

In another embodiment, the proximity sensor 506 supplies a controlsignal to an antenna impedance control circuit 512 (see FIG. 16) forcontrolling the impedance seen by the power amplifier 111 into anantenna 514 or for controlling the resonant frequency of the antenna514.

The proximity sensor 506 comprises a sensor that detects the presence ofthe body or a body part using an optical sensor, a capacitive sensor oranother sensing device. In response to that control signal, the antennais tuned to a predetermined frequency to offset the detuning caused bythe proximate object and partially compensating the loss due to thedetuning. In another embodiment, the proximate sensor is replaced with anear-field RF probe for supplying a control signal that tunes theantenna to maximize the near field signal.

In another embodiment, the sensor 506 comprises a component fordetecting a configuration of a handset communications device. Forexample, a slider type handset and a flip type handset can be in an openor closed position, influencing operation of the antenna 504. Bydetermining the handset configuration, the antenna can be controlled toimprove antenna and handset performance.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention comprises an antennaresonant frequency tuning component for use during manufacture of thecommunications device to reduce resonant frequency variations in themanufacturing processes.

Such a resonant frequency tuning component comprises a plurality oftuning components (a matrix of components, for example) such as thefrequency tuning and impedance controlling elements 117 (see FIG. 2) orthe tunable antenna 404 (see FIG. 11) as described above, that arecontrollable to compensate the expected range of resonant frequency andbandwidth variability resulting from production variations. During theproduction stage, the tuning components are configured to set thedesired resonant frequencies for optimum performance (PAE, VSWR, etc).In one embodiment, a tuning matrix comprises a passive assembly withfusible links that are opened (blown) to insert matrix components intothe antenna circuit. In another embodiment active device switches(control field effect transistors, micro-electro-mechanical systems(MEMS) or other switch technologies known in the art) are utilized toinsert components into the antenna circuit by closing one or more of theswitching devices.

FIG. 17 illustrates a primary radiating structure 550 of an antenna.Switches 552 (e.g., fusible links, transistor switches) switchablyconnect one or more of the tuning components 556A, 556B, 556C and 556Dto various locations on the primary radiating structure 550 to controlone or more of the antenna impedance and the resonant frequency. Theswitches can be permanently opened or closed after manufacturing andtesting the primary radiating structure 550 to overcome the effects ofmanufacturing variations. In another embodiment, the switches 552 arecontrolled by a controller associated with a communications apparatuswith which the primary radiating structure 550 operates, the controllerresponsive to operating characteristics of the communications apparatusto control the switches 552 and thereby control operation of theantenna, in particular, the antenna resonant frequency and impedance.

The teachings of the present invention can also be applied to acommunications device providing antenna diversity. That is, each of thediverse antennas includes components to effectuate a change in reactanceor a change in effective electrical length to control the antennaresonant frequency.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, a communications device 600 includes twoantennas 602 and 604, each responsive to an antenna controller 610 and612 for controlling the respective antenna resonant frequency and/orimpedance according to the various teachings and embodiments of thepresent invention. A diversity controller 618 determines which one ofthe antennas 610 and 612 is operative at any given time (in the receivemode, the signals can be combined to produce a composite receivedsignal). A processor executing an appropriate algorithm controls theantenna controllers 210 and 212 and the diversity controller 218 toimprove a signal quality metric of the communications device.

FIGS. 19-21 illustrate additional configurable or controllable antennasthat offer the capability to overcome or at least reduce the effects ofundesirable conditions within the antenna's operating environment. Anantenna 700 in FIG. 19 comprises a meanderline structure 702 furthercomprising a plurality of meanderline segments 702A, a first terminalend connected to a feed 704 and a second terminal end connected to aradiating structure 706. Exemplary taps 710 connected to one or more ofthe meanderline segments 702A are connected to ground by closing anassociated switch 714 under control of an antenna controller 718.Connecting one or more of the meanderline segments 702A to groundinfluences one or more of the antenna resonant frequency, bandwidth andinput impedance.

The meanderline structure 702 is a slow wave structure where thephysical dimensions of the conductor comprising the meanderlinestructure 702 are not equal to its effective electrical dimensions.Generally, a slow-wave conductor or structure is defined as one in whichthe phase velocity of the traveling wave is less than the free spacevelocity of light. The phase velocity is the product of the wavelengthand the frequency and takes into account the material permittivity andpermeability of the material on which the meanderline structure isformed, i.e., c/((sqrt(ε_(r))sqrt(μ_(r)))=λf. Since the frequencyremains unchanged during propagation through the slow wave meanderlinestructure 702, if the wave travels slower (i.e., the phase velocity islower) than the speed of light in a vacuum (c), the wavelength of thewave in the structure is lower than the free space wavelength. Theslow-wave structure de-couples the conventional relationships amongphysical length, resonant frequency and wavelength, permitting use of aphysically shorter conductor since the wavelength of the wave travelingin the conductor is reduced from its free space wavelength.

The feed 704 is connected to receive and transmit circuits 720 via a 1xXRF switch 722 of the communications device operative with the antenna700. The receive and transmit circuits 700, known in the art, compriseone or more low noise amplifiers and associated receiving, demodulatingand decoding components for determining the information signal from asignal received by the antenna 700, and further comprise one or morepower amplifiers, modulating and coding components producing atransmitted signal responsive to an information signal.

Certain components of the receive and transmit circuits 720 arefrequency sensitive and thus for optimum performance of thecommunications device the appropriate frequency sensitive componentsmust be selected responsive to the operating band and mode of thecommunications device. The 1xX switch 722, controlled by a controlsignal provided by the circuits 720 over a control conductor 724 or by acontrol signal from the antenna controller 718, provides the capabilityto connect the antenna 700 to the appropriate frequency-sensitivecomponents of the receive and transmit circuits 700. Additionally, it isdesired to configure the antenna controller 718 to improve performanceof the antenna 700 responsive to the operational mode of thecommunications device. For example, when the communications device isoperative in a receive mode in a first frequency band, the 1xX switch722 is configured to connect receiving components optimized foroperation in the first frequency band to the antenna 700. Further, theantenna controller 718 is configured to control the switches 714 toimprove operation of the antenna 700 for receiving signals in the firstfrequency band. In an exemplary embodiment, optimization of antennaperformance suggests that the switches 714 are configured to present anantenna impedance that improves PAE of the operative receiving circuits720.

In one embodiment the antenna 700 of FIG. 19 is formed on or within adielectric substrate. Thus the permittivity and the permeability of thedielectric material comprising the substrate affect the properties ofthe meanderline structure 702, and thus the properties of the antenna700. In such an embodiment the antenna 700 can be formed as a module forsimplified insertion and connection to the associated circuits of acommunications device, such as the handset or communications device 240of FIG. 6. Use of the module antenna also promotes repeatability duringthe manufacturing process to ensure proper physical placement andconnection of the antenna.

In one embodiment, the switches 714 are implemented by connecting one ormore of the taps 710 to ground through an inductor (not shown) toestablish a DC ground for each tap 710.

In a FIG. 20 embodiment, an antenna 750 comprises a configurable signalfeed structure comprising the meanderline structure 702. Antennaoperating characteristics (e.g., antenna impedance, gain, radiationpattern) are determined by closing one of a plurality of switches 754under control of the antenna controller 718.

FIG. 21 illustrates an antenna 800 comprising a meanderline structure802 further comprising a plurality of meanderline segments 802A andexemplary switches 808 controlled by the antenna controller 718 toprovide discrete resonant frequency tuning of the antenna 800. Since themeanderline structure 802 forms a portion of the antenna and thereforeinfluences the antenna parameters, including the resonant frequency,shorting one or more of the meanderline segments 802A changes theresonant length and thus the resonant frequency of the antenna 800. Oneor more of the switches 808 can be closed to tune the antenna 800 to adesired frequency. Generally, tuning by operation of the switches 808results in discrete, rather than continuous, tuning of the resonantfrequency.

In an exemplary operational mode, the 1xX switch 722 is controlled toconnect the appropriate frequency-sensitive components of the receiveand transmit circuits 720 to the antenna 800, responsive to the currentoperational parameters of the communications device. The resonantfrequency of the antenna 800 is also controlled by configuring theswitches 808, under control of the antenna controller 718, to establishan antenna resonant frequency that is the same as the operatingfrequency of the selected frequency-sensitive components.

The various switching elements identified in FIGS. 19-21 can beimplemented by discrete switches (e.g., PIN diodes, control field effecttransistors, micro-electro-mechanical systems, or other switchingtechnologies known in the art). The switching elements can compriseorganic laminate carriers attached to the antenna to form a modulecomprising the antenna (e.g., the meanderline structures and theradiating structures), the controlling switches and the 1xX switch on asingle dielectric substrate.

FIG. 22 illustrates a band switched antenna structure 900 comprisingrespective low band and high band antennas 902 and 904. Impedancecontrolling circuits 906 and 907 connect the low band antenna 902 to aswitching terminal 908 of a radio frequency (RF) switch 910. Respectivetransmit and receive terminals 912 and 914 of the RF switch 910 areconnected respectively to a serial connection of a low band poweramplifier 920 and a filter 922, and to a serial connection of a firstband low noise amplifier (LNA) 928 and a filter 930.

Respective transmit and receive terminals 932 and 934 of the RF switch910 are connected respectively to the serially connected low band poweramplifier 920 and filter 922 and to the serially connected second bandLNA 938 and filter 940. A switching terminal 941 is operable to selecteither the input terminal 932 or the input terminal 934.

Generally, the impedance controlling circuits 906 and 907 are dissimilarto a present a selectable antenna (load) impedance to the low band poweramplifier 920 that improves its operation. Typically, the poweramplifier 920 operates in two frequency bands, each presenting adifferent PA output impedance. It is therefore desired to provide aselectable impedance (the impedance controlling circuits 906 or 907).

In one embodiment, the impedance controlling circuit 906 comprises aseries connection of a first and a second capacitor at a commonterminal, with an inductor connected between the common terminal andground. In one embodiment, the impedance controlling circuit 907comprises a series connection of a first and a second inductor at acommon terminal, with a capacitor connected between the common terminaland ground. In other embodiments different impedance controllingcircuits can be used depending on the impedance of the low band antenna902 and the impedance of the PA 920.

The high band antenna 904 is connected to a switching terminal 950through the impedance controlling circuit 906 and to a switchingterminal 954 through the impedance controlling circuit 907. Respectivetransmit and receive terminals 960 and 962 of the RF switch 910 areconnected respectively to a serially connected high band power amplifier964 and filter 966 and to a serially connected third band LNA 970 andfilter 972.

Respective transmit and receive terminals 978 and 980 of the RF switch910 are connected respectively to the serially connected high band poweramplifier 964 and filter 966, and to a serially connected fourth bandLNA 984 and filter 986.

The filters 930, 940, 972 and 986 associated with the LNA'S function inthe conventional manner to remove noise and out-of-band frequencycomponents from the received signal, with the pass band of each filter930, 940, 972 and 986 dependent on the operational band of itsassociated LNA.

The operational mode of the switched antenna 900 is determined byoperation of the communications device with which the antenna 900functions. When operating in the low band (i.e., low frequencyoperation) receive mode, either the switching terminal 908 is configuredto connect the low band antenna 902 and the impedance controllingcircuit 906 to the filter 930 and the first band LNA 928, or theswitching terminal 941 is configured to connect the low band antenna 902and the impedance controlling circuit 907 to the filter 940 and thesecond band LNA 938. A configuration of the switching terminals 908 and941 is controlled by an antenna controller (not shown in FIG. 22) basedon the operating characteristics of the communications device. Inparticular, if the communications device can operate in two differentlow band frequencies, one of the switching terminals 908 or 941 isoperative to connect the associated LNA 928 or 938, respectively, to thelow band antenna 902 responsive to the operating low-band frequency.

During operation in the low frequency band transmit mode, the PA 920 isconnected to the low band antenna 902 through one of the impedancecontrolling circuits 906 and 907 via the selected configuration of theRF switch 910, that is via either the terminal 912 or the terminal 932,as determined by one of the impedance controlling circuits 906 or 907that improves the PAE of the power amplifier 920. In another embodiment,the impedance controlling circuits 906 and 907 are also controllable tochange the impedance seen by the associated power amplifier to improvethe PAE of that power amplifier.

During operation of the switched antenna 900 in the high frequency band,the switching terminals 950 and 954 are controlled to connect either theLNA 970 or the LNA 984 to the high band antenna 904 in the receive modeor to connect the high band PA 964 to the high band antenna 904 throughone of the impedance controlling circuits 906 and 907.

As discussed elsewhere herein, according to the prior art it is usuallythe intent of the communications device designer to transform theimpedances of the components in the transmit and receive signal paths toa nominal 50 ohms to improve device performance. Since these componentsare typically individually procured and assembled, the presentedimpedance values may differ substantially from 50 ohms and thetransformation to 50 ohms may result in undesired bandwidth limitationsas also discussed above.

Additionally, the layout of the components and connecting conductors(which may present other than a 50 ohm impedance) tends to cause theimpedance to vary from the desired 50 ohms. Since the load is usually acomplex impedance, reactive components or transmission line lengths willchange the load at the power amplifier depending on the line length,layout, component selection, filter type, etc. Finally the antennasupplier has no control and little influence over design features andcomponents in the transmit and receive signal paths that cansubstantially influence antenna performance.

In addition to performance degradation due to these impedancemismatches, it is also known that interaction of the antenna's nearelectric and magnetic fields with components in the communicationsdevice can result in: a) lower radiation PAE due to excitation ofunwanted currents in proximate elements that impose electricallyresistive loss mechanisms and b) dielectric loading effects on antennaelements that influence its resonant frequency.

To overcome these effects on antenna performance, the present inventionteaches a radio frequency module embedding one or more components of theserial component string including one or more of transmitting andreceiving circuits, a low noise amplifier, a power amplifier, filtersand connecting elements connecting these components to the antenna. Theimpedance presented by the module components is substantially consistentamong all the module components (and likely not the conventional 50ohms) to improve signal receiving and transmission performance,overcoming the effects of impedance variations and mismatches of theprior art. An exemplary module is illustrated in FIG. 23 and describedin the accompanying text.

The module also improves power amplifier PAE (resulting in longer talktime between battery charges). Use of the module reduces developmenttime to market and lowers manufacturing and component integration costssince all components are embedded in the module and its fabrication isrepeatable.

A modular embodiment of the switched antenna 900 of FIG. 22 isillustrated in FIG. 23, wherein a module 1000 comprises a front endelectronics module 1002 (comprising in one embodiment the impedancecontrolling circuits 906 and 907, the RF switch 910, the filters 922,966, 930, 940, 972 and 986, the power amplifiers 920 and 964 and the lownoise amplifiers 928, 938, 970 and 984 or any combination of theseelements), an organic (or other) laminate material 1004, the low bandand high band antennas 902 and 904 (preferably constructed from anappropriate length of conductive material, including a conductive flexfilm material and either printed on or subtractively removed from one ormore surfaces of the laminate 1004) and a carrier 1008. In anotherembodiment the passive components of the impedance controlling circuits906 and 907 and the passive components of the filters 922, 966, 930,940, 972 and 984 are formed as passive elements within the material ofthe laminate 1004. Candidate laminate material include known PCBcompounds and epoxy materials both with and without the fiber glassfiller material. Printed circuit board material and flex film materialcan be used in lieu of the organic laminate material.

In an embodiment in which the low and high band antennas operate inrespective frequency bands of 824-960 MHz and 1710-1990 MHz, the modularswitched antenna 900 (i.e., the laminate material) is about 28 mm long,about 15 mm wide and about 7 mm high, presenting an antenna volume aboutone-half to one-quarter the volume of prior art multiband antennas.Embodying the various antenna control techniques taught herein inmodular form provides more efficient packaging, simpler insertion into acommunications device, lower cost, better reliability and betterperformance. In particular, the design and layout processes associatedwith use of the module in the communications device are substantiallyreduced. Further the selectable/controllable/tunable features of thevarious antenna embodiments described herein provide a higher PA PAEover the operating bandwidth than the prior art multiband antennas.

Advantageously, within the module 1000 it is not necessary to transformthe impedance values of connected components to the conventional 50ohms. Instead, the transmission line lengths and the impedance presentedby the transmission lines are selected to provide the desired impedancetransformations between two components connected by the transmissionlines.

In CDMA systems, active tuning of the antenna as described hereinpresents an impedance to the PA via the duplexer intermediate theantenna and the PA. The various schemes according to which the phase,amplitude and/or impedance of the antenna are adjusted to improve thePAE can take into account the transmission characteristics of theduplexer and associated interconnect transmission lines to the antennaand the PA. The frequency-dependent characteristics of the duplexer cantherefore be considered when adjusting the antenna impedance.Alternatively, frequency variant tuning of the duplexer can be employed,in addition to tuned elements at the antenna. To improve the amplifierPAE at less than rated load, power dependent tuning of the duplexeritself can be used as well.

As a result, it is preferred to include the antenna,phase/amplitude/impedance tuning components, duplexer, and associatedcontrol components as part of a module, such as the module 1000 of FIG.23. The module functions, as described, to present a load to the PA atoperating frequencies that optimizes the PA efficiency. In anotherembodiment some degree of mistuning may be employed to adjust forantenna proximity effects (e.g., proximate relation of the users had andbody to the antenna) during operation.

Inclusion of tuning components at the antenna (as described in variousembodiments described above) is also an acceptable solution for manyproblems currently encountered in portable device RF design for CDMAsystems. The functions described above, such as optimizing the PAefficiency for GSM operation, tuning to maintain antenna resonance inthe presence of proximal dielectrics (human body, tables, etc),band-selectable tuning (no sub bands in CDMA) to allow reduction of theantenna physical volume, and generally, tuning to present a moreconstant impedance (better match) versus operating frequency, are allpossible byproducts of the inclusion of tuning components.

According to another antenna control embodiment of the presentinvention, antenna spatial diversity is achieved by selectively drivinga radiating structure 1100, see FIG. 24, from either a terminal end 1104or a terminal end 1108. A meanderline radiator structure is illustratedas merely an exemplary embodiment.

With a switch 1112 in a configuration represented by a referencecharacter 1112A and a switch 1120 is in a configuration 1120B, a feed1114 is coupled to the terminal end 1104, resulting in a current minimumat the terminal end 1108 and a current maximum at the terminal end 1104.Reconfiguring the switch 1112 to a configuration 1112B and configuringthe switch 1120 closing the switch 1120 shifts the current maximum tothe end 1108 and the current minimum to the end 1104. Changing thelocation of the current maximum and current minimum alters the antennapattern (phase center) to achieve spatial diversity.

The switches 1112 and 1120 are controlled by control signals generatedin other elements of the communications device. For example, if thesignal-to-noise ratio of the received signal falls below an identifiedthreshold (or the bit error rate of the received signal exceeds apredetermined threshold) the switch configurations are reversed in aneffort to improve performance.

As described elsewhere herein, one embodiment of a conventionalcommunications device operative with a single antenna employs a serialcomponent string (signal path) comprising the power amplifier (and thelow noise amplifier in the receiving mode), a switch plexor (for usewith the GSM protocol) or duplexer (for use with the CDMA protocol) theantenna impedance controlling element and the antenna. The switch plexoror duplexer switches into the serial string of the appropriate poweramplifier or low noise amplifier responsive to operating conditions.

It is known that an actual nominal antenna impedance can range betweenabout 20 ohms and several ohms as a function of frequency over itsoperating bandwidth. The output impedance of the power amplifier istypically a few ohms (about 3 to 7 ohms and usually complex) and varieswith output power as described above. To accommodate the impedancevariations in the signal path and recognizing that in any case theimpedance varies with frequency, the antenna impedance is transformed toan impedance that improves the power amplifier PAE. Specifically, theoptimum impedance is selected from a locus of points that are generatedas a function of the signal frequency supplied to the antenna and thecommanded RF power output from the PA. The optimum impedance is thevalue that allows the power amplifier to operate at optimum PAE, i.e.,producing an output signal that uses the available supplyvoltage/current without signal clipping or saturation.

Conventionally, the power amplifier impedance is transformed to about 50ohms. It is therefore desired for the antenna to present a 50 ohmimpedance (by transforming the antenna radiation resistance, typicallyabout 15 ohms, to 50 ohms) such that when connected by a 50 ohmtransmission line to the power amplifier, the antenna provides asatisfactory load for the PA. By utilizing 50 ohm interconnects in thesignal path between the PA and the antenna, insertion and cascading ofconventional filters and switching elements (and any other signalprocessing elements in the signal path such as bias circuits, RFconnectors, transmission lines, transmit/receive switches) isfacilitated and maximum power is transferred from the power amplifier tothe antenna.

It is also known that large impedance transformations (e.g., 3 to 50ohms) can reduce the signal bandwidth, where the bandwidth reduction isa direct function of the ratio of the two impedances. One knowntechnique to overcome the bandwidth reduction employs multistagematching where the total impedance transformation is accomplished insequential stages, each stage matching two impedances of a lower ratiothan the ratio of the total impedance transformation, as described bythe Fano matching criteria.

To overcome the effects of these impedance mismatches and impedancevariations, according to one embodiment of the present invention thepower amplifier output impedance is not transformed to 50 ohms, butinstead to a value close to the antenna radiation resistance or to anintermediate value between 50 ohms and the PA output impedance. Inanother embodiment in which a filter is interposed between the poweramplifier and the antenna, the impedances of both the power amplifierand the antenna are transformed to the filter impedance. Transforming toan impedance lower than 50 ohms reduces the concomitant bandwidthreduction as the ratio of the two impedances is lower.

FIG. 25 illustrates this aspect of the invention in which a filterand/or switch plexer 1150 is interposed between a power amplifier 1152and an antenna 1154. Impedance transformation components 1160 transformthe output impedance Zout=n of the power amplifier 1152 to an impedancem, wherein the switch plexer and/or filter 1150 has an input impedanceZin=m and an output impedance Zout=p. Impedance transformationcomponents 1164 transform the impedance presented by the switch plexerand/or filter 1150 to the antenna input impedance Zin=q. Preferably allof the series equivalent characteristic impedance values, n, m, p and qare less than 50 ohms. Therefore the bandwidth reduction associated withthese impedance transformations is less than the prior art systems whereall the impedances are transformed to 50 ohms. It is also possible todesign an antenna to provide a closer impedance match to the outputimpedance of the PA, thereby eliminating the need impedance transform toan artificially specified value, thereby optimizing the performance ofthe PA, filter, switchplexer (or diplexer) and elements in the antennachain. The benefit of this approach is lower loss in the transmissionand receiving paths and greater bandwidth.

In a preferred embodiment, the various elements illustrated in FIG. 25are formed as a radio frequency antenna/power amplifier module,comprising a dielectric material surrounding an integrated circuit,wherein the electronic components of the elements 1150, 1160 and 1164are formed within the integrated circuit. A fixed pre-positioning of thePA 1152 relative to the other components included within the moduleprovides the best performance for the modularized elements.

The filter components of the element 1150 may be implemented as passivecomponents within the module, and therefore are not necessarily formedin the integrated circuit.

To improve the power amplifier's performance, a PA load impedance thatimproves the PAE over an appropriate bandwidth is determined. Theimpedance of one or more of the module elements is transformed topresent that load impedance to the PA and the impedance transformationcomponents 1160 and 1164 are controlled to match impedances betweenelements (except the PA 1152).

Another embodiment of the present invention teaches modularization of afront end module (FEM) 1200 illustrated in block diagram form in FIG.26. The FEM 1200 comprises an antenna 1204 and routing switches 1206. Areceive path comprises a receive filter 1208 and a low nose amplifier1210. A transmit path comprises a transmit filter 1214 and a poweramplifier 1218. In another embodiment, the FEM 1200 further comprisesthe impedance transformation components illustrated in FIG. 24 forimproving the bandwidth response of the FEM 1200.

The LNA 1210 and the PA 1218 are further connected to an RF integratedcircuit (RFIC) 1230 comprising conventional components associated withprocessing the outgoing signal in the transmit mode and the incomingsignal in the receive mode, e.g., up and down frequency conversion,modulation and demodulation and signal frequency synthesis. A basebandprocessor 1240 decodes the baseband signal provided by the RFIC 1230 inthe receive mode to produce the information signal. In the transmitmode, the baseband processor 1240 encodes the information signal andsupplies the encoded signal to the RFIC 1230. In the receive mode, thebaseband processor 1240 receives the baseband signal from the RFIC 1230,decoding same to produce the information signal.

Use of the FEM 1200 reduces time-to-market for the manufacturer of thecommunications device since the components and functionality areconveniently supplied in modular form. Reduced manufacturing costs(fewer components to inventory and track, simpler designs required) andmanufacturing repeatability are also realized by use of the FEM 1200.

In one embodiment, the FEM 1200 incorporates the beneficial dynamicallyselected antenna impedance values for loading the PA at different powerlevels, thus improving PA operating PAE, as described above. PAEimprovements, which have been shown by the inventors to be 10% to 20%,lengthen the handset “talk” time as battery life is extended.

The teachings of the present invention related to antenna impedancecontrol can also be applied to control the VSWR of the signal providedby the PA to the antenna for transmission. An actual VSWR can bemeasured by known techniques and compared to a desired VSWR. The antennaimpedance is controllable responsive to the actual VSWR to achieve thedesired VSWR.

FIGS. 27-29 illustrate various antenna and related components suitablefor use with a CDMA communications protocol; FIG. 30 illustrates anantenna isolation technique suitable for use with certain embodiments ofthe present invention; FIGS. 31 and 32 illustrate antennas and relatedcomponents suitable for use with a GSM communications protocol.

FIG. 27 illustrates a transmitting and receiving system 1500 suitablefor use with the CDMA air interface. The system 1500 comprises a highband antenna 1502 operative generally in the frequency bands of about1850-1910 MHz (uplink) and 1930-1990 MHz (downlink) and a low bandantenna 1506 operative generally in the frequency band of about 824-849MHz (uplink) and 869-894 (downlink). As applied to the cellular and PCSservices, a CDMA uplink signal is transmitted (for example from ahandset to a base station) on one of the uplink frequencies and thedownlink signal (for example from the base station to the handset) istransmitted on one of the downlink frequencies. Thus the system 1500 ofFIG. 27 is capable of sending and receiving signals in either of thehigh or low frequency bands. But since the transmit and receivefunctions use the same antenna an isolating device (a duplexer forexample) is required to isolate the transmit and receive paths.

A high band receiver 1510 is connected to the high band antenna 1502 viaa serial connection of an impedance matching network 1514 and a duplexer1518. In a preferred embodiment, the matching network 1514 matches thehigh band antenna impedance (as transformed through the duplexer 1518)to 50 ohms, since the high band receiver typically operates from a 50ohm input. In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 27, the matchingnetwork 1514 matches a 20 ohm antenna impedance to 50 ohms. Although theimpedance matching network 1514 can be designed to accommodate matchingof various impedance values, it is known that impedance matching tendsto reduce the signal bandwidth in direct proportion to the differencebetween the two impedance values that are matched, unless complexmultistage matching elements are employed.

The system 1500 further comprises a high-power amplifier 1530 (providingan output power P1) connected to the high band antenna 1502 via a serialstring of a matching network 1534, a switch 1538 and the duplexer 1518.A low-power amplifier 1540 (providing an output power P2) is alsoconnected to the high band antenna 1502 via a serial string of amatching network 1544, the switch 1538 and the duplexer 1518. Dependingon the power output level of the power amplifiers 1530 and 1540, the PAoutput impedance can range from about 3 ohms to about 2000 ohms.

As described above, the load impedance seen by the power amplifieraffects the power amplifier efficiency. According to an embodiment ofthe invention described above, the impedance of an antenna connected tothe PA is controlled to present an impedance that maximizes the PAE.

In the embodiment of FIG. 27, the power amplifier 1530 is selected asthe operative power amplifier (responsive to a control signal notillustrated and configuration of the switch 1538 to a state 1538A) whena relatively high-power output signal is required for the effectivecommunications in the high frequency band. The PA 1530 thus supplies arelatively high-power output signal P1. When supplying the signal P1, anexemplary load impedance of about 3 ohms maximizes the PAE of the poweramplifier 1530. Thus it is desired for the matching network 1534 totransform the impedance seen looking into the switch 1538 (for exampleabout 20 ohms as indicated in FIG. 27) to about 3 ohms to maximize thePAE of PA 1530.

For relatively low power operation in the high frequency band, the PA1540 is operative, as controlled by a control signal not illustrated inFIG. 27 and configuration of the switch 1538 to a state 1538B, todeliver a low-power output signal P2. Due to the difference in the powerof the signals P1 and P2, the optimum load impedance for maximizing thePAE of the PA 1540 is different than the optimum impedance formaximizing the PAE of the PA 1530. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG.27, the impedance is indicated to be greater than about 3 ohms and canrange to about 2000 ohms dependent on the power in the output signal P2.Thus the matching network 1544 transforms the exemplary switch/antennaimpedance of about 20 ohms to the PA 1540 output impedance to maximizeits PAE.

Although the power amplifiers 1530 and 1540 are described as supplying adiscrete output power level P1 or P2 that determines the load impedancefor maximum PAE, it is known by those skilled in the art that theteachings of the invention apply to other output power levels and outputimpedance values. In other embodiments of the invention, the poweramplifiers operate to supply output signals having a power leveldifferent than the exemplary P1 and P2 power levels, and thus differentload impedance values are required to optimize the PAE of the poweramplifiers.

As is known, the duplexer 1518 must provide sufficient isolation betweenthe signals present at its two input ports 1518A and 1518B, sinceaccording to the CDMA protocol the transmitting and receiving componentsmay be simultaneously active. Thus duplexer isolation prevents thetransmitted signal from bleeding into the receive components and thereceived signal from bleeding into the transmit components. When thesystem 1500 is operating in a receive mode, the duplexer 1518 mustpresent a relatively high impedance at the terminal 1518A. Similarly,when the system 1500 is transmitting through the high band antenna 1502a relatively high impedance is seen at the terminal 1518B.

The low-band antenna 1506 is similarly connected to a duplexer 1560having a port 1560A connected to a serial string of a matching network1564 and a low-band receiver 1568. A port 1560B of the duplexer 1560 isconnected to a common terminal 1572A of a switch 1572. A terminal 1572Bof the switch 1572 is further switchably connected to a serial stringcomprising a matching network 1576 and a high-power amplifier 1580(supplying a relatively high-power output signal P3); a terminal 1572Cis switchably connected to a serial string comprising a matching network1584 and a low-power amplifier 1588 (supplying a relatively low-poweroutput signal P4).

The matching networks 1576 and 1584 see the impedance of the low-bandantenna as transformed through the duplexer 1560 and the switch 1572,and transform this impedance to increase the PAE of the operativehigh-power amplifier 1580 or the low-power amplifier 1588. In thepresented exemplary embodiment a load impedance of about 3 ohmsmaximizes the PAE of the PA 1580 at the power level of the signal P3 anda load impedance of greater than about 3 ohms maximizes the PAE of thePA 1588.

The impedance values set forth in FIG. 27 (and all Figures presentedherein) are merely exemplary, although it is expected that the outputimpedance of a low power amplifier (1540 and 1588) would be greater thanthe output impedance of a high power amplifier (1530 and 1580). Thedesign of the high-band and low-band antennas, the duplexers, thereceivers, the power amplifiers, and the switches all impact theimpedances seen at the matching network terminals. Further, the powerlevel of the power amplifier output signals determine the load impedancethat maximizes the PA PAE. It is generally known, however, that duplexersize increases when designed to operate into a lower impedance load orsource impedances. It is therefore preferable to use relatively largeimpedances in conjunction with the duplexers of FIG. 27 to maintain areasonable duplexer size for use in a communications device, especiallyfor use in hand held communications devices.

The matching networks 1514 and 1564 are both indicated as matching to apresented 20 ohm source impedance. But in another embodiment the highand low band antennas 1502 and 1506 may present different impedances atresonance and thus the matching networks 1514 and 1564 may see differentsource impedances for transformation to a suitable impedance for theirrespective receiver 1510 and 1568.

In one embodiment, each of the antennas 1502 and 1506 comprises anantenna presenting a relatively low impedance. In this embodiment signalbandwidth loss is reduced compared with an embodiment employing antennasthat present a 50 ohm impedance at resonance. Since the impedance seenfrom the input terminal of each of the matching networks 1534, 1544,1576 and 1584 is lower when low impedance antennas are used, thedifference between the input and output impedances is reduced and thebandwidth of the impedance transformation is therefore increased. Inanother embodiment the antenna impedance is switched between receive andtransmit functions to reduce the impedance transformation ratio requiredbetween the antenna and the receiver.

Preferably, the switches 1538 and 1572 present a sufficiently lowresistance to limit the power losses they introduce into the signalpath.

The matching networks 1514, 1534, 1544, 1576 and 1584 (and othermatching networks illustrated in the various Figures) may comprise bothimpedance transformation components and signal filter components.Further, the receivers 1510 and 1568 (and the other receiversillustrated in the various Figures) may comprise both receiver andfilter functionalities.

In one embodiment, the components illustrated in FIG. 27 are fabricatedin a modular form, with the electronics components disposed within adielectric substrate and the antenna components disposed on outersurfaces of the substrate.

FIG. 28 illustrates a system 1598 sharing certain common elements withthe system 1500 of FIG. 27 and suitable for CDMA operation. As can beseen, the system 1598 comprises a single antenna 1600 connected to theduplexers 1518 and 1560 through a combiner 1602, which in one embodimentis an element of the antenna structure. Operation of the combiner 1602is frequency dependent such that high band received signals are suppliedfrom the antenna 1600 to the duplexer 1518 and low band received signalsare supplied from the antenna to the duplexer 1560. Depending on theoperating frequency and the signal power required, one of the high-poweramplifiers 1530 and 1580 (preferably optimized for supplying a signal inthe high-band spectrum) or the low-power amplifiers 1540 and 1588(preferably optimized for supplying a signal in the low-band spectrum)can supply a signal to the combiner (through their respective duplexers1518 and 1560) for transmission by the antenna 1600.

FIG. 29 illustrates a system 1720 including a receive antenna 1721 and atransmit antenna 1722 appropriately isolated by an isolation structure1723 as further described below. Either the high-band receiver 1510 orthe low-band receiver 1568 is connected to the receiving antenna 1721via a filter 1724, a switch 1725 and respective matching networks 1726and 1728. The matching networks may be required to match an impedance ofthe receivers 1510 and 1568 (which may not be identical) to a sourceimpedance seen looking into the switch 1725. Since the receive antennawill likely present a first impedance when operating in the highfrequency band and a second different impedance when operating in thelow frequency band, the matching networks 1726 and 1728 typically matchto different impedance values Z10 and Z11 ohms as indicated.

As can be appreciated, the system 1720 is applicable to CDMA systemswhere the switch 1725 is controlled to a state to receive signalsdepending upon whether the signal is in the CDMA high band (1930-1990MHz) or the CDMA low band (869-894 MHz).

A filter 1740, a switch 1744 and respective matching networks 1748 and1752 are responsive to a signal supplied by a high-band power amplifier1754 and by a low-band power amplifier 1756.

The frequency-dependent filters 1724 and 1740 can provide additionalisolation between the receive and transmit operating frequencies, i.e.,in addition to the isolation provided by the isolation structure 1723.

The power amplifiers 1754 and 1756 may operate at different output powerlevels and therefore to maximize the PAE they may be operated atdifferent load impedances, Z12 and Z13 ohms as indicated in FIG. 29.Thus the matching network 1748 transforms an impedance of Z14 ohms toZ12 ohms for the high band-power amplifier 1754 and the matching network1752 transforms an impedance of Z15 ohms to Z13 ohms for the low-bandpower amplifier 1756. Typically, the transmit antenna 1722 presents ahigh-band impedance when operating at a high-band frequency and adifferent low-band impedance when operating at a low-band frequency.Thus the impedances Z14 and Z15 may not be equal.

In another embodiment of the invention, the matching networks 1748 and1752 are controllable to present different load impedances to the poweramplifiers 1754 and 1756 to optimize or at least improve the PAE of eachpower amplifier 1754 and 1756 (i.e., improve the PAE or efficiency overthe efficiency absent use of the controllable matching networks 1748 and1752.)

In one embodiment of the system 1720, the transmit and receive antennas1721 and 1722, the filters 1723 and 1740, and the switches 1724 and 1744can be incorporated into a single antenna module. In another embodiment,only the receive and transmit antennas 1721 and 1722 are incorporatedinto the module.

FIG. 30 illustrates a system 1757 derived from the system 1720 of FIG.29 and further comprising a high-band high-power PA 1760, a high-bandlow-power PA 1761, a low-band high-power PA 1762 and a low-bandlow-power PA 1763 and their respective matching networks 1764, 1765,1766 and 1767. A switch 1768 selectably connects one of the PA's 1760,1761, 1762 and 1763 to the transmit antenna 1722 via the filter 1740. Asin the embodiments discussed elsewhere herein, the matching networks1764, 1765, 1766 and 1767 are configured (either a fixed or acontrollable configuration) to provide a load impedance to the PA's1760, 1761, 1762 and 1763 to maximize the PAE of each PA according tothe operating power level (or another power-related parameter, forexample, a power amplifier output power, an operating frequency of acommunications device operative with the system 1757 wherein operationof the power amplifiers is responsive to the operating frequency of thecommunications device or a voltage standing wave ratio on a conductivepath between the power amplifier and the transmitting antenna) of thePA.

FIG. 31 illustrates an example of the isolation structure 1723 of FIGS.29 and 30. A dielectric substrate 1770 supports an antenna 1772 (in thisexemplary embodiment the antenna 1772 comprises a meanderline antenna)and a dielectric substrate 1776 supports an antenna 1778 (in thisexemplary embodiment the antenna 1778 comprises a PIFA antenna). Anisolation structure comprises a conductive structure 1880 disposedbetween the substrates 1770 and 1776. In the illustrated embodiment theconductive structure comprises a generally U-shaped conductivestructure. In another embodiment (not illustrated) the conductivestructure comprises a sheet disposed between the substrates 1770 and1776. In still another embodiment (not illustrated) the substrates 1770and 1776 are replaced by a dielectric sheet (a flex film dielectricsheet, for example) with a conductive surface sandwiched between thedielectric sheets. The antennas 1772 and 1778 are disposed on outsidesurfaces of the dielectric sheets.

In another embodiment of the systems 1720 and 1757 of FIGS. 29 and 30,isolation between the receive and transmit antennas 1721 and 1722 isprovided by signal polarization diversity, i.e. the two antennas 1721and 1722 propagate signals with different signal polarizations toachieve the desired isolation. For example, a first antenna propagatinga horizontally polarized signal and a second antenna propagating avertically polarized signal may provide the desired signal isolation inlieu of the isolation structure 1723 in FIGS. 29 and 30.

A system 1850 of FIG. 32 is suitable for use with any protocol employinga time division multiple access scheme, such as the GSM protocol, toseparate transmit and receive operations. A switchplexer 1851 comprisesa plurality of selectable terminals each responsive to a matchingnetwork/filter 1852, 1854, 1856 and 1858. The matching network/filter1852 and 1854 are responsive respectively to a high-band receiver 1860and a low-band receiver 1868. In another embodiment (not illustrated)the system 1850 further comprises a GPS receiver. The matchingnetwork/filters 1856 and 1858 are responsive respectively to ahigh-power amplifier 1870 and a low-power amplifier 1872. In anotherembodiment the PA's 1870 and 1872 are combined (e.g., using CMOS(complimentary metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors)technologies) with a corresponding single matching network/filterconfiguration.

When the system 1850 is operative with a communications device, aconfiguration of a switch common terminal 1851A is controlled accordingto the operational mode (receive or transmit) and the operatingfrequency (high band or low band) of the communications device. Thecommon terminal 1851A is connected to a matching network/combiner 1875to supply the selected signal to antennas 1880/1884 in the transmit modeor to receive signals from the antennas 1880/1884 in the receive mode.The matching network/combiner 1875 may comprise a high and low passfilter to direct the high and low band frequency signals as desired.Alternatively, the functionality of the matching network/combiner 1875can be integrated with the antennas 1880 and 1884 using parasiticcoupling or direct coupling of different resonant antenna elements.

In the receive mode the matching network/combiner 1875 supplies thereceived signal to the common terminal 1851A of the switchplexer 1851for feeding to either the high-band receiver 1860 via the matchingnetwork/filter 1852 or to the low-band receiver 1868 via the matchingnetwork/filter 1854, as determined by the state of the switchplexer1851. The matching networks/filters 1852 and 1854 transform the sourceimpedance they see to the input impedance of the respective receivers1860 and 1868.

In the transmitting mode, the signal to be transmitted is supplied fromeither the high-power PA 1870 or the low power PA 1872. Based on theiroperating output power, the maximum PAE of the power amplifiers 1870 and1872 is achieved when the load impedance is Z20 and Z21 ohms, asindicated, respectively. The matching network/filter 1856 provides theload impedance of Z20 ohms to the PA 1870 by transforming its sourceimpedance (as seen looking into the switchplexer 1851 from the matchingnetwork/filter 1856) to Z20 ohms. Similarly, the matching element/filter1858 presents a load impedance of Z21 ohms by transforming its sourceimpedance (as seen looking into the switchplexer 1851 from the matchingnetwork/filter 1858) to Z21 ohms.

Within the system 1850, an impedance of each antenna 1880 and 1884 iscontrollable responsive to an antenna impedance controller 1888 furtherresponsive to a control signal. As described above, controlling theantenna impedance to provide an optimal load impedance for the poweramplifiers 1870 and 1872 improves the power amplifier efficiency andhence extends battery life of the communications device in which thesystem 1850 is embedded. The control signal can be derived from abaseband controller representative of the PA output power or by a bandselect signal that identifies the currently operative band for thecommunications device. In one embodiment the antennas 1880 and 1884 areformed on a common substrate or formed on separate substrates and bondedtogether, forming an antenna module. The antenna module may be referredto as a variable impedance antenna module since the impedance controller1888 controls the impedance presented by the antennas 1880 and 1884.

Thus several techniques are presented for controlling the load impedanceof the PA's 1870 and 1872 to maximize the PAE. Each of the matchingnetworks/filters 1856 and 1858 can be controlled in real time responsiveto the output power of the respective PA to achieve a desired or maximumPAE. Alternatively, each of the matching networks/filters 1856 and 1858can provide a fixed load impedance for the respective PA that willmaximize the PAE based on an average or expected value of the outputpower. Alternatively, the matching networks/filters 1856 and 1858operate as band pass filters and provide a fixed impedance suitable forthe switchplexer 1851, while the antenna controller 1888 presents animpedance to maximize the PAE.

Thus to improve the efficiency of the power amplifiers 1870 and 1872,the load impedance of each can be controlled by operation of therespective matching network/filter 1856 and 1858. Further, the antennaimpedance can be controlled by the impedance controller 1888 to presenta different source impedance to the matching networks/filters 1856 and1858, which in turn transform the source impedance to a PA loadimpedance to maximizes the PAE for each PA 1870 and 1872.

The number of receiving and transmitting elements in the system 1850 canbe easily extended as indicated. In one embodiment, the receivers, poweramplifiers and matching networks/filters can be manufactured in the formof a module.

FIG. 33 illustrates a system 1900 sharing common elements with thesystem 1850 of FIG. 32. In one embodiment, the system 1900 employs anon-50 ohm signal transmission chain as indicated by the exemplary“˜20Ω” designation between the switchplexer common terminal 1851A and acombiner 1904. Antennas presenting such a “low” impedance are referredto as low impedance antennas and are capable of providing a lowimpedance over their operating bandwidth. In one embodiment the antennas1880 and 1884 are formed on a common substrate or formed on separatesubstrates and bonded together, forming an antenna module. The antennamodule may be referred to as a low impedance antenna module.

In the receiving mode the matching networks/filters 1852 and 1854transform their source impedance to the load impedance for the high-bandand low-band receivers 1860 and 1868. Also, the matching networks 1856and 1858 can transform their source impedance to a load impedance thatcontrols or maximizes the PAE (or efficiency) for the respective poweramplifier 1870 and 1872. Further, in one embodiment the matchingnetworks/filters 1856 and 1858 provide a controllable range of impedancetransformations to provide a range of load impedances for the poweramplifiers 1870 and 1872.

Certain elements within the various embodiments presented in FIGS. 27-33can be formed or implemented in a module by forming or mounting multiplecomponents on a common substrate. In particular, the high and low bandantennas 1880 and 1884, the combiner 1875 and the impedance controller1888 of FIG. 32 can be physically combined into a modular element.Similarly, the high band antenna 1880, the low band antenna 1884 and thecombiner 1904 can be combined to form a module in the embodiment of FIG.33. The switchplexer 1851 can also be included within the module. Asthose skilled in the art recognize, other elements (switches andfilters, for example) can be included within such a module to simplifydesign and assembly of the presented systems.

The modular implementation provides fixed interconnections and partsplacement that avoids performance degradation from transmission line(conductor) lengths variations, filter characteristic variations andparasitic effects due to coupling between components. Componentcharacteristics are matched at the time of module design, therebylimiting mismatch losses. The fixed phase shift through the radiofrequency component chain at each operating frequency is known and canbe compensated as required. The fixed phase shift is also beneficial forPA stability over presented mismatches due to environmental effects andchanges (e.g., the proximity effect).

The module's radio frequency portion (i.e., the front end where many ofthe physical layout-induced performance variations arise) offers knownperformance characteristics, reducing design time of the communicationsdevice and therefore time to market.

In certain industrial designs (e.g., laptop computers) the modularapproach can reduce transmission line length, and thus losses in thetransmission lines, as the antenna(s) and power amplifier(s) are locatedin proximate relationship. A high-speed bus (such as an optical fiber)can be used to supply the signal to be transmitted from thebaseband/modulating components to the power amplifiers.

Thus the modularized system offers the communications device designer aphysically stable and operationally predictable component for insertioninto a communications device.

Although the power amplifiers of the various presented embodiments havebeen described as supplying a signal having a discrete output powerlevel (e.g., signals P1 and P2) that determines the load impedance formaximum PAE, the teachings of the invention are not so limited and canbe applied to other output power levels and to power amplifiers capableof supplying a signal having a power within a range of power levels. Theload impedance that maximizes the PAE is different dependent on the PAoutput power of the power amplifier. Therefore, the various presentedmatching networks, if capable of transforming only a single sourceimpedance to an output impedance may not assure a maximum PAE at alloutput power levels. In another embodiment a matching network that cantransform the source impedance to a selectable output impedance may bepreferred to maximize the PAE at all possible PA output power levels.

FIG. 34 illustrates a dual band communications apparatus 2000 comprisingthe high band receiver 1860 and a high band power amplifier 2006selectably connected to a high pass filter 2008 via a transmit/receiveswitching element 2012. Responsive to a condition of the switchingelement 2012, the antenna 1880, connected to the filter 2008, supplies areceived signal to the high band receiver 1860 or transmits a signalsupplied by the power amplifier 2006. When incorporated into a multibandcommunications device, the operating mode of the communicationsapparatus 2000 (and the condition of the switching element 2012) iscontrolled by a signal representing the operating mode (receiving ortransmitting) of the communications device.

For low band operation, the communications apparatus 2000 furthercomprises the low band receiver 1868, a low band power amplifier 2020, aswitching element 2022, a low pass filter 2026 and the low band antenna1884. The components associated with low band operation operatesimilarly to those associated with high band operation as describedabove.

Use of the filters 2008 and 2026 and the dedicated high band and lowband antennas 1880 and 1884 in the communications apparatus 2000 avoidsthe need for a switchplexer, such as the switchplexer 1851 illustratedin FIG. 32. The switchplexer is a relatively expensive element andtherefore its elimination is a cost reduction (and space reduction)advantage, especially for low-cost communications apparatuses.Additionally, use of the high band and the low band antennas 1880 and1884, respectively, allows each to be designed for optimum performancein its operating band.

Preferably, each antenna 1880 and 1884 is designed for a 50 ohm matchwithin its operating band. Typically, the power amplifiers 2006 and 2020prefer a low load impedance and the receivers 1860 and 1868 prefer ahigher (source) impedance. In the embodiment of FIG. 34, the high bandreceiver 1860 and the high band power amplifier 2006 are matched to afixed impedance of 50 ohms of the antenna 1880 and any interveningcomponents, such as the filter 2008 and the switching element 2012.Similarly, the low band receiver 1868 and the low band power amplifier2020 are matched to a fixed impedance of 50 ohms of the antenna 1884 andany intervening components, such as the filter 2026 and the switchingelement 2008.

In yet another embodiment, the impedance presented by the antennas 1880and 1884 are controllable, for example by use of the impedancecontroller 1888 of FIG. 32, to control the load impedance presented tothe respective power amplifier 2006 and 2020 to control the efficiencyof the power amplifiers 2006 and 2020.

FIG. 35 illustrates a communications apparatus 2040 comprising two highband antennas 2008 (one for transmitting and one for receiving), two lowband antennas 1884 (one for transmitting and one for receiving), thehigh pass filter 2008 and the low pass filter 2026. The four antennasand respective filters provide an equivalent functionality to thediplexer/switchplexer and the switches of the embodiments describedabove and can be optimized for performance with the associated poweramplifier or receiver. Another embodiment includes the impedancecontroller 1888, to control the impedance of the antennas 1880 and 1884as presented to the respective power amplifier 2006 and 2020 to controlthe efficiency of the power amplifiers 2006 and 2020.

The presented embodiments describe the inventions with reference to theGSM and CDMA air protocols, and in particular, the receivers, poweramplifiers, antennas, etc., are described as operating according tothose protocols. But the inventions are not limited to those protocols,as the teachings can extended for use with EGSM, PCS and DCS, 802.11xand other protocols.

While the present invention has been described with reference topreferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various changes may be made and equivalent elements may besubstituted for the elements thereof without departing from the scope ofthe invention. The scope of the present invention further includes anycombination of elements from the various embodiments set forth herein.In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationto the teachings of the present invention without departing from itsessential scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not belimited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the inventionwill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A modular communications apparatus comprising: a dielectricsubstrate; a radiating structure disposed on a surface of the substrate;an electronics module disposed within the dielectric substrate, theelectronics module comprising: a power amplifier; signal receivingcomponents; fixed length transmission lines connecting the radiatingstructure and the electronics module, a length of each transmission lineselected to present a desired impedance at an input and an outputterminal of each transmission line without requiring separate impedancematching elements.
 2. The modular communications apparatus of claim 1wherein the desired impedance is less than 50 ohms.
 3. The modularcommunications apparatus of claim 1 wherein the desired impedancecomprises an output impedance for matching an output impedance of thepower amplifier or the signal receiving components to which thetransmission line is connected.
 4. The modular communications apparatusof claim 1 further comprising a fiber optics element for supplyingsignals to and receiving signals from the electronics module.
 5. Themodular communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein each fixed lengthtransmission line presents a fixed phase shift over a transmission linelength.
 6. The modular communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein amaterial of the dielectric substrate comprises one of organic laminatematerial, printed circuit board material, and flex film material.
 7. Themodular communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronicsmodule further comprises an impedance controller disposed between thepower amplifier and the radiating structure for controlling an impedanceseen by the power amplifier, the impedance controller responsive to apower-related parameter.
 8. The modular communications apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the radiating structure comprises a high band antennaand a low band antenna.
 9. The modular communications apparatus of claim8 wherein the power amplifier comprises a high band power amplifier forsupplying signals to the high band antenna and a low band poweramplifier for supplying signals to the low band antenna.
 10. The modularcommunications apparatus of claim 8 wherein the high band comprises afirst frequency band between about 824 and 960 MHz and the low bandcomprises a second frequency band between about 1710 and 1990 MHz. 11.The modular communications apparatus of claim 9 wherein the electronicsmodule further comprises an RF switch for switching between the highband antenna and the low band antenna.
 12. The modular communicationsapparatus of claim 1 wherein the radiating structure comprises a lengthof conductive material disposed on one or more surfaces of thedielectric substrate.
 13. The modular communications apparatus of claim1 wherein the electronics module further comprises frequency tuning forcontrolling operating parameters of the radiating structure.
 14. Themodular communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein dimensions of thedielectric substrate are about 28 mm long, 15 mm wide and 7 mm high. 15.The modular communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radiatingstructure transmits and receives signals.
 16. The modular communicationsapparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal receiving components comprise alow noise amplifier.
 17. The modular communications apparatus of claim 1wherein the signal receiving components comprise a first low noiseamplifier responsive to a first impedance controlling circuit and asecond low noise amplifier responsive to a second impedance controllingcircuit.
 18. The modular communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein theradiating structure comprises a meanderline antenna.
 19. The modularcommunications apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a carrier,wherein the dielectric substrate is mounted on the carrier.
 20. A methodfor manufacturing a plurality of communications apparatus modules,comprising: providing a dielectric substrate; forming a radiatingstructure on the substrate; forming receiving and transmittingcomponents within the substrate; determining an impedance of thereceiving and transmitting components; and forming transmission lineswithin the substrate for interconnecting the radiating structure and thereceiving and transmitting components, transmission line lengthsselected to match the impedance of the receiving and transmittingcomponents.